A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing Is More Than A Warning
by BWPR
Summary: Being the only vampire-werewolf hybrid in existence was hard enough. Alex could even handle being hunted by James, her maker, for the past 150 years. But becoming part of a family and finally accepting her mate? She couldn't help but wonder when her life had become so complicated. Everything was so much easier before, but then again, nothing worth fighting for ever comes easily.
1. Chapter 1

She had missed just running through the forest. Alex howled, paws taking her nowhere and everywhere. She couldn't remember how long she'd been running, how long she's been in this form, but it doesn't matter. Its just her and nature; her and the trees and the dirt and the occasional animal that wasn't fast enough to get out of her way. But as she heads further North in what she is pretty sure is Washington, she suddenly skids to a stop. She bares her teeth and snarls, hackles rising, fur standing up on her back.

Alex could smell him, that sociopathic vampire, but she couldn't see or hear him. Had he come to find her again, was he waiting just ahead to cut her off? It was a game of theirs, she would run, and he would find her. Sometimes he would hunt her like a dog, finding her within hours. Other times he would draw it, the hunt lasting years, decades even. He always caught her though, eventually. But he would never kill her, merely force her to withstand his presence until there was an opportunity to run again. He rarely hurt her physically, but the times when he did, she always thought that it would be over with, that he would finally lose control and rip her throat out. But it was never that easy, he was never that merciful. Even when she was stuck with him and would sabotage his hunts, he wouldn't end the game. Alex hasn't seen him since he started a coven of his own, had thought that maybe he had finally decided to leave her alone.

But she could smell so many other scents in the area, a town, a vampire coven, and a werewolf pack even. She longed to visit the pack, wondering what they were like, what kind of wolves they were. Alex herself was descended from Eurasian wolves, a larger species than anything found in the area. She hasn't seen a pack since she was in Alaska, the Arctic wolves allowing her in their territory but refusing to associate with her, sixth sense telling them something was off about her. Or maybe it was just because she had refused to shift back into her humanoid form. She would assume this pack would be Northern Timber wolves based on geography, but couldn't confirm without seeing them.

Dreading what it meant that James was here, within proximity of other vampires, she decided it would be best to check things out. With his love of the hunt, who knows what trouble he would stir up, who he would hurt. Deciding it would be best to remain in her wolf form, Alex followed the scent of the coven to where it was strongest. The trees were thinning out, and she could smell exhaust fumes now. She was approaching humans. She was careful to be aware of everything around her, it wouldn't do for some poor person to come across a giant wolf. When the trees opened to a road, she took the opportunity to follow it briefly to a road sign, looking out for any vehicles on the way but the road remained empty. And when she reached the sign, it read, 'Welcome to Forks!'. Alex had never heard of the town, but looking at how run down the sign appeared and how small the population was, she could understand why. Dashing back into the forest at the first telltale rumble of a truck engine approaching, she continued to follow the coven's scent. She noticed that James' scent was mixed in, and the wolf began to trot a little faster in her worry.

What Alex found was...baseball? Or at least what had once been baseball. The ball field was torn to shreds, green grass giving way to mud and sand uneven with deep gouges. James and his coven were facing off against a much larger coven right over home plate. If the atmosphere wasn't so tense and the bloodlust so evident, she would almost say it was overly dramatic. Thunder cracked above them, but still it didn't rain. Even from here, she could see that their eyes were golden, so she knew the advantage of numbers meant little when compared with their weakened states. She could smell a human, and she could see a male protectively shielding what she assumed to be the human female. As she entered the clearing, all eyes turned to her, the newcomer.

Avoiding looking at James, Alex looked towards the large coven. They were all wearing matching baseball uniforms, and the way they stood together spoke of deep bonds. They almost seemed like a family. They didn't seem phased by seeing a werewolf, obviously being so close to a pack's territory, but they seemed to know that she wasn't one of theirs. The male protecting the human was staring at her intensely, but she didn't know what he was looking at or sensing from her.

"She's here to protect us." Alex reevaluated the male. She hadn't come across a mind reader like this before, but the wolf supposed she has seen weirder abilities. Though she is surprised the Volturi hadn't snatched him up already; after all, when they had learned about her, they had been close to killing her for refusing them. It was only Jane and Alec's promises to keep an eye on her that allowed her to live. To be safe, she avoided the central city at all costs since then.

_"Its not very polite to read a lady's mind."_ With that amused yet pointed thought, she slowly approached the coven, being sure to never have her back to James and his lackies. She could see them grow tenser the closer she got, but they seemed to listen to the mind reader.

"Alex, haven't seen you a few decades. Forgot how much you enjoyed interfering in my hunts." In response, she turned to finally face him, standing in front of the coven. She hoped that they got the message, the trust she was putting in them by turning her back completely to them. She looked him in the eyes, her golden meeting his black. He looked the same as ever, handsome but bloodstained. When she snarled, he merely tilted his head with a smirk. The wolf part of her recognized the gesture of a predator considering its prey. Her instincts told her to back down, to submit, but she maintained her stance. The smirk on his face grew sharper when he realized she wasn't going to do or say anything.

"Looks like I've found my next hunt. I'm going to eat that human, then work my way through this coven one by one. And in the end, you will be alone, again. And I will be there." With that ominous threat, he turned and dashed into the treeline, the other two vampires following without hesitation. Alex watched him go and waited until she could no longer hear or smell him to relax. She couldn't help but feel like she just signed everyone's death sentence. She turned around to face the coven behind her, sitting down to show that she had no intentions of attacking them. Despite her intentions, she still towered over them in her wolf form. They stood there awkwardly for a moment before one of them stepped forward.

"Please, come with us, I believe we have some matters to discuss," said the oldest looking male, a gentle but tight smile on his face. There was a wisdom, a danger to him that came from experience, and she wondered how old he was. She followed them slowly as they approached their vehicle, though she wondered why vampires needed a Jeep.

_"I'll follow,"_ she thought as the mind reader hesitated, seemingly unsure about if she would transform and get in with them. He nodded before assisting the human in climbing into the car. She noticed the bulky male standing on the back of the Jeep looking at her as they tore down gravel roads, her keeping up with them easily. The grin he sent her way and the howl he belted out let her know they could be friends in the future. She hasn't raced or wrestled or played with anyone except James in a long time, and anything involving James wasn't something she wanted to think about. They eventually ended up in front of a beautiful modern home surrounded by deep forests. She was fascinated by the architecture and textures, how the glass and wood and concrete played off of each other. When the coven walked inside the double doors that made up the entry of the house, she was confused when she was ushered in by the mind reader as well. The human girl was staring at her in fascination, though she was trying to not be rude about it. Alex wondered if she had never seen the wolf pack in this area and thus never seen a werewolf, despite obviously knowing what these people were. After squeezing through the doors, the room opened up into a living room with tall ceilings, and she could fit easily in the minimalistic room. She lied down in front of the windows, facing the couch as the coven sat down. Only the older man from before remained standing.

"I am Carlisle Cullen, and this is my family and coven. May I ask who you are?" She looked at him critically, wondering if they could be trusted. Alex could feel her anxiety increasing the longer she was there in their house, a giant wolf among vampires. Not that she had much room to talk, but her experiences with vampires have been less than stellar, making her rather cautious. Even Jane and Alec still made her uneasy, and all they ever did was show up every so often to make sure she hadn't become a liability.

"You are safe here." The voice came from a tall skinny blond man, his voice having the barest southern accent to it. He must be an empath to read her emotions like that, and she tried not to feel like it was an invasion of privacy. But the man seemed genuine, his posture open despite how closely he was studying her. With a nod, she began to focus.

It took more effort than she remembered to transform back, but she figured that it was because she's been a wolf for so long. Unlike most werewolves, it was a slow and painful experience for her to change back. It was horrifying to behold as well, she knew. The way her bones would rapidly bend and break and rearrange, the way everything wolf would fall off, bloody teeth and chunks of fur surrounding her. And at last she would emerge from the gore, naked and smeared with her own blood, feeling like she was just torn apart and put back together haphazardly. She stayed on the ground, shaking, trying to adjust to her body. Hands and long hair instead of paws and thick fur. She felt so bare. She looked up at the coven, and they suddenly seemed so much larger, more intimidating. She pulled her long brown hair out of her face, and she could see them better. It was odd seeing in color again, everything seeming so vibrant. They sparkled to her even in the low lighting, and even now she could still smell them like she was still a wolf. She couldn't pick out individual scents, but they all mixed together harmoniously. Sandalwood, fresh cut grass, roses, vanilla, strawberries, etc. overwhelmed her this close. It took her a moment to get used to her altered senses and parts.

"I'm Alex," she finally forced out. Her throat felt raw, and her voice was hoarse from disuse. Forming words was foreign, and her tongue felt too big for her mouth.

"What are you? I've never seen a werewolf like you before. The way you transformed, your eyes, the way you smell; I've never seen anything like you," said Carlisle. Instead of the disgust she was expecting, he seemed to be in awe, especially when he met her eyes. She had forgotten about how her eyes looked. They remained a piercing golden even in this form, distinctly still animalistic and feral, glowing compared to their muted amber. It brought up memories of how James was fascinated with her eyes; how he claims that they were what first drew him to her. She quickly dismissed the memories, aware of the mind reader most likely taking in every thought that raced across her mind. And then her scent. She knew that vampires were supposed to smell vile to werewolves and vise versa, but her sense of smell and the way she smelled was different. Apparently she smelled like a cold winter's day to both creatures; fresh air, lemongrass, and something earthy like the forest after it rains.

"That's complicated," she managed as she began to climb to her feet. She was sliding around in the blood on the wooden floor, and, combined with her alien limbs, she was left fumbling. Suddenly there was a woman at her side, gently helping her up, ignoring how her previously dusty clothes were now getting stained with blood.

"Knock it off, this can wait until she's been cleaned up and clothed," hissed the woman as she began to whisk her away towards the stairs. She was mainly carrying her as Alex's legs seemed unable to hold her weight. At the top of the stairs they entered a room that was revealed to be a grand bathroom. The entire exterior wall was windows, and she was grateful they were far from any neighbors.

"Alex, was it? I'm Rosalie Hale," the vampire introduced herself as she lowered her slowly into a huge bathtub.

"Thank you." Rosalie nodded in response, running the water. When it was hot enough to scald a human, she put in the stopper, allowing the tub to begin to fill. Alex shivered, floored by the temperature change. She could already tell the water would have to be changed multiple times if the dark pink tint was any indication.

"I'll be back in a little bit with some clothes. There are towels and robes in the cabinet over there," she pointed at the linen closet, "Will you be okay alone?" Alex was touched by her concern. Wary about talking again, she merely responded with a nod and what she hoped was a soft smile. Expressions were easier to manage, but it still felt foreign to the muscles in her face. The woman smiled, and it seemed fond yet sad as she left the bathroom. Alex quickly grabbed the shampoo, cleaning her hair in multiple rounds until no more red tint remained. She then had to drain the tub and fill it again, the water only a light pink this time. She then conditioned her hair, leaving it to set for awhile as she cleaned her body, washing out the conditioner at the end when she was done. She ran her fingers through her hair, marveling at the smooth texture. She didn't know who's soap she was using, but the products smelled lightly of gardenias and didn't have any harsh chemical tang. It was rather soothing. She drained the tub finally, bracing herself to get up. It seems like her strength was returning, as she had no problem lifting herself up and standing. Her stance and movements were rather stunted as she remembered how to walk on two legs, but there was no threat of falling at least. She had a fluffy robe on and was drying her hair with a towel when Rosalie returned. She looked surprise to see Alex standing there, but then seemed delighted.

"Good to see you're feeling better. Here are some clothes, just grabbed some casual outfits of mine, pick whatever you want to wear," she explained as she handed over the variety of clothes. Alex, unconcerned with the female's presence, dropped her robe and began to dress. Rosalie huffed as she turned away, attempting to give her some privacy. Ignoring the underwear and bras, she tugged on a lose pair of soft, black joggers with deep pockets and a black short sleeved top. The top had frills and lace that itched at her skin, but it was preferable to the sweaters and long sleeved shirts that she was offered. And it covered her shoulders and upper arms, leaving her to feel less exposed. At this point, her hair was mostly dry. For lack of a brush, she ran her fingers through her hair, untangling as she went until it was smooth. Rosalie almost seemed exasperated by her choice of outfit but didn't say anything, merely escorted her back downstairs and into the living room. The mess of her transformation was gone completely, leaving no traces on the gleaming wood floors. The coven was still there, almost like they had been waiting for her, but they were all changed and cleaned up from earlier. The human was gone now, though Alex would smell that she was still in the house. After accepting a glass of water that soothed her throat, she began her tale.

"I was born December 21, 1875, in a little town in Russia that no longer exists, with a name I have long forgotten. My pack were nomadic wolves that moved place to place in Siberia, never settling for long. I was 15 when things went to hell. Some of the males were out hunting when they caught the attention of James. He tracked them back to the pack. He had never smelled werewolves before, so he had followed them back out of curiosity until it became a hunt. When he arrived, we were scattered and small. I was the youngest, the only one not yet able to take on the form of a wolf. So while my pack fought, I ran. I ran until I couldn't hear the fighting and the howls, until my feet bled, until I couldn't move anymore and collapsed. But he found me anyway. Instead of killing me like the rest of my pack, he kept me. He said he liked my eyes," here she paused, taking a deep breath, trying to stay calm despite her bitterness, "Then he started saying how I was meant to be his mate, how he just knew that I was his and he was mine. With his sense of humor, he renamed me Alex, meaning protector of men. And then he bit me." To illustrate her point, she moved her hair and the shirt she was wearing to reveal the junction between her neck and shoulder. There, standing out amongst perfect pale skin, was the silver scar of a vampire's bite mark. She was aware that her sentences were stunted and didn't really flow well together, choppy and simplistic, but it was all her mouth could manage for now.

"What? But you are a werewolf, and clearly older than 15," this was spoken by the petite girl with the pixie haircut. She had yet to interact with Alex, and even now, it seemed like talking to her pained the other girl.

"You see, I had never fully made the transition to being a werewolf. So when he bit me, I became a sort of in between. I was a vampire, but I grew older in appearance until I was physically about 20. Then my ability emerged, being able to transform into a wolf, and I stopped aging. But my transformation wasn't right, it was a process of breaking me apart and putting me back together, some abomination against nature. Instead of agreeing to be his mate, I ran. It became a game; I would run and hide, and he would find me. Every time he acted like I would suddenly change my mind and stay, be his mate. But I always refused. And he may be a sociopath that kills anything and everything in his path, but he respected my decision, said it was the greatest hunt yet. Then he met Victoria and finally left me alone. Haven't encountered him since he started his little coven, have had no desire to cross paths with him," she finished, looking down at the floor. Just brushing her fingers on the bite made her breathing catch and her heart speed up. She hated James, but he was still her maker, still the monster that killed her family but left her alive. Despite her feelings, she would never harm him or kill him; it just wasn't who she was.

"He can't hurt you now," soothed Carlisle. She scoffed in response, not even considering how ungrateful it was.

"Didn't you hear him earlier? James doesn't make empty threats."

"So we need to form a plan, prepare for him to make his move," chimed in the empath, something authoritative in his tone. There was a steel to him that she had only ever encountered in those who fought wars, and she wondered what he had fought for. There were murmurs of agreements. Like they were all on the same wavelength, they all sectioned off and left the room. Story told and information shared, Alex was left there to relax. Only one person didn't leave, the woman who always seemed to hover in the background.

"Hello dear, I'm Esme, Carlisle's wife and mate. If you are planning on staying, please feel welcome to stay with us," she offered graciously, a warm look on her face as she took Alex's hand. For a moment she was reminded of her own mother, but quickly shifted gears as to not become distracted.

"I would be honored, thank you for having me."

* * *

"You shouldn't be out here alone," the voice startled her from her thoughts, though she had sensed a member of the coven approaching her. Being around so many people had began to make her anxious, so she had retreated to the outdoors. She had chosen a tall pine within the tree line surrounding the property to climb. Perched up there, she could see for miles. She looked down to see the mind reader on the branch below her. He seemed comfortable up here, clearly used to the height as well.

"I needed some fresh air," was all she offered as she resumed her vigilance.

"I'm Edward by the way, sorry I didn't get to introduce myself earlier," he spoke after awhile of silence. His presence was rather serene, though she could tell he was rather awkward. Alex decided to humor him; after all, it would be better for her to be nice to her hosts for the time being.

"So, you're a mind reader?" He chuckled at her bluntness, relieved at her willingness to carry the conversation.

"Yes. Sorry for invading your thoughts, but I can't exactly turn it off, just direct it." She hummed to show she understood, shifting to actually look at him during their conversation. He was leaning against the tree trunk as he rested on the branch below her, an air of calm to him. She wondered why a vampire was so concerned for a human girl.

"Her name is Bella, and she's my girlfriend," he explained simply in response to her thoughts, but she couldn't find it in herself to be angry. She wasn't sure how that worked, a vampire dating a human, but she could tell that he genuinely cared for the girl. They sat there for awhile, enjoying the comfortable silence. He was good company, silent but present. He didn't push her talk, and he didn't fill the air with meaningless and unwanted chatter. It was exactly what she needed right now.

But slowly, a feeling of dread began to build in her stomach. She knew this sensation well, as it always happened before James found her. She wasn't sure why he was the only creature she could sense like this, and the stories of newborns and their makers had never mentioned this type connection. When it got to the point where she swore she could feel eyes burning into her, she knew she needed to get away. She had to be smart about this, needed to do what was best for the coven. She wasn't sure why she was willing to protect them, maybe some type of misplaced responsibility for James' actions?

"I'm going to go for a run, be back in a bit," without waiting for a response, she jumped from the tree and began to run. She needed to keep James away from the house, from the coven and Bella. She hoped that Edward hadn't caught any of her thoughts, and if he did, that he wasn't stupid enough to try and follow her alone. James, though he wouldn't kill him as it would ruin his game, would think nothing of removing some of his limbs. She put all her energy into running, though her movements were still a little jerky as she ran for the first time in a very long time on two legs. She could just sense him gaining on her, but she was helpless to stop it. She couldn't run fast enough to evade him, couldn't break from the path and try to lose him. Although she wasn't surprised when long arms wrapped around her middle and lifted her off the ground, she still wanted to scream and thrash. Knowing it would only make his grip tighten and his temper worsen, she let herself go limb in his hold. It felt cowardly, but it was the better alternative than trying to fight. He spun her around a few times as they came to a stop so their momentum didn't spend them sprawling.

"Caught you," his voice was smug and dangerous as he spoke next to her ear, his chest pressed against her back, "Think you hurt lover boy's feelings by running away so suddenly though." Before she could react to the growled words, he was slamming her into the ground. Her only saving grace was that he turned her so that it was her back on the ground and not her front, though this left her face open to him. Hovering over her, hand threateningly tight on her neck, James snarled into her face. Without thinking, her hands shot to his wrist. She didn't try to pull his hand away from her neck, merely clutching at him. Normally it would calm him down when she would voluntarily touch him, but the deep black of his eyes told her that this was one of those times where he may finally end her. From the coven, she knew that he had been feeding recently, so the only reason his eyes would be so dark is because of his anger.

"Say something dammit!" With that, he lifted her and slammed her back against the ground again. She groaned lightly, eyes watering. She didn't need to breathe as much as humans, but unlike most vampires, she still needed to breathe in general. Unwilling to let her pass out and ruin his fun, he let up a fraction to allow her to take a breath before resuming his tight hold.

"James," she whispered. It felt like losing a game she didn't even know they were playing, especially when the fury receded, leaving his face blank above her. As his grip relaxed as to no longer be threatening, he adjusted from hovering over her to kneeling over her, legs on either side of her pinning her lower half to the ground. This close, she could see that his eyes weren't actually pitch black, but a dark burgundy. He moved, free hand cutting through her borrowed shirt to reveal his bite mark on her. He seemed to almost purr, vibrating over her as his lips brushed the crescents, a promise and threat all in one gesture.

"You're mine, never forget that," and with that, he sunk his teeth into the mark. He had done this before when she had defied him too much too often, reminding her of the power he held over her. Her back arched without her consent, pushing her further into him. It was agonizing yet arousing, so much pain and pleasure from being bit. She didn't know if it was because it was over the bite that turned her, if it was because he was her master, or if it was because he was a vampire in general. He hummed as he retracted his teeth, tongue teasing over the mark, soothing the burning flesh. Her grip on his wrist shifted, her hands clutching at his shoulders. She didn't know if she was pushing him away or pulling him closer, but there was no effect in either case. His hand on her throat shifted to hold the back of her neck, keeping her pressed against him. It was intimate and close and overwhelmingly warm, all things she knew that he wasn't. She began to panic, complete with watery eyes and hyperventilating.

"Stop," she wasn't even aware the word had slipped out until James tensed above her, "Please, stop, James." She clutched her eyes closed, unwilling to look at him as his face moved away from her bite. She could feel him staring at her intensely, but she refused to open her eyes. She was shocked when a bruising kiss was delivered to her lips. By the time her eyes flew open in her surprise, James was off of her and gone. Sitting up, she watched as he disappeared into the forest. With a start, she realized that she could hear something thundering as it rapidly approached her location. Without thinking, she flipped backwards into a low defensive stance just as the other vampire entered the clearing. It was the bulky Cullen, and he quickly slid to a stop before he could barrel into her. He quickly took in the scene; her a mess, shirt torn to reveal her bite, and the fading smell of James all over her and in the clearing. For a moment she was worried he would think that she was there willingly meeting with the tracker, but his expression instead looked devastated.

"Are you okay?" His hands hovered over her but didn't touch her, which she appreciated. She was quickly coming back down from the high James seemed to have induced in her. She wished that she could say that this was the first time this had happened, the first time she had pleaded with him, but it wasn't. It was the first time he had just held her like that though, and that scared her. He hadn't tried new tactics in awhile, much less physiological ones. She was more bitter and confused than hurt and scared. She grabbed the man's hand and let him help her up, though she clearly didn't need it.

"I'm fine, just a little shaken up. Thank you for asking..." She trailed off when she realized that she didn't actually know his name.

"Emmett." His smile was cheeky, and he held out his hand for a handshake. Laughing, she took his hand and shook it vigorously, both of them trying to see who had the firmer grip. She appreciated how he seemed to get that she didn't want to talk about what had happened, that she needed a distraction.

"Race you back to the house?"

"Oh, you are so on!"

* * *

Alex won the race, but only because she changed into a wolf when she was in danger of losing. She did, however, lose the following wrestling match. Both of them were careful not to actually hurt the other, and she was unaware that she could feel so happy. Her tail was wagging, there was no tension to her, and she couldn't help but howl her happiness, Emmett responding with whoops of his own. She's never known a vampire to be so animalistic, but he was the closest to a wolf as she's ever met.

Apparently during the time she was gone, the other male in James' coven had came to supposedly warn them. He insisted that he wanted no part of what James and Victoria were doing. But Alex could feel that something was off; this felt too much like a calculated move. She wondered what intel he had managed to gain from the visit.

They continued their rough housing outside, the darkness that had fallen not impairing either of them. Rosalie had watched for awhile with a soft smile before heading back inside. When they had asked Edward if he wanted to join them, he had considered it for a moment before declining, wary of Bella waking up and seeing him fighting. She switched her forms depending on what was more convenient, the transformation and time it took her to bounce back getting better every time. Rosalie had eventually given up on dressing her every time, scolding Alex for shredding so many of her clothes. As to not ruin anymore of the other woman's belongings, she began to take off the clothes before turning and putting them on when she turned back. Emmett was a good sport about it, not minding the interruptions. Eventually they ended up just lying there in the dark, looking at the stars, bullshitting and telling stories of all they've done over the years.

"I've never had a friend like you before, dude." She snorted in a rather unladylike manner when he called her dude, but she couldn't stop herself from grinning as she responded by punching his shoulder lightly.

"I don't think I've ever had a friend before," she realized, the words coming out soft. Emmett froze beside her, turning to look at her.

"Really, never? Surely you've at least had one over the years, you're like, 150 years old." His tone was disbelieving, but his eyes were sad.

"Well, there's Jane and Alec but I wouldn't really-"

"The creepy Volturi twins? Why the fuck do you know them?" She tried not to get angry at how he referred to the twins, but still it made her uncomfortable.

"Well, after I was turned and stopped aging, I escaped James, as you know. At some point I found myself in Italy during my travels, and the Volturi found me. I was young and excited to meet more vampires, so I let Aro read my mind. He tried to get me to join his guard, and insisted that I was in too much danger out on my own. When I refused, he turned on me, saying that I was a danger to vampires everywhere, a crossbreed that belonged to no world. But Jane and Alec vouched for me, and they check in on me every so often to make sure I'm laying low and that I'm safe," she explained.

"Those monsters aren't your friends, Alex. Did they ever keep you safe from James?" His tone and words made her blood freeze in her veins. Yes, she had always known that they didn't really care for her other than feeling a kinship with her, but it still hurt to hear it. They had always made it clear that they only cared about each other, but they also made it a point to invite her to join them in the guard every time they checked it, something she knew they never did with anyone else.

"Well, no, but-"

"You don't have to explain yourself. Emmett, stop pushing," chimed a voice from the house. They looked to see the little pixie standing in the doorframe, her face screwed up to show her displeasure, though she still looked adorable.

"Don't you know its rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations, Alice?"

"Please, I already saw you two having this conversation and you making an ass out of yourself." The coven members continued to bicker and antagonized each other, though there was no heat or hostility behind their words and gestures. For the first time, it really hit her that this was a family, that these were siblings. They paused in their banter when Alex started laughing, amused with their antics.

"That's it, you're gonna get it," with that, Emmett turned back to her, pouncing at her, tickling her sides roughly. She laughed even harder, only half heartedly trying to push him away. She was surprised when Alice, in all her daintiness, tackled Emmett, tickling him instead. And so they wrestled like children, tickling and screaming and laughing.

* * *

She sat with Alice and the southern male, who she now knew to be Jasper, in the kitchen. It seemed pointless to have such a room in a house of vampires, but apparently it was still the heart of the home. She had been forced to clean up again, and despite her threats to not give her anymore clothes to ruin, Rosalie gave her another change of clothes to wear.

"So what do you eat, exactly?" Jasper asked her, curious. She thought about it for a moment, trying to sum it up.

"Mostly raw meat. I need protein and blood, so raw meat is the best option for me. The fresher, the better. I can eat human food, and it tastes delicious, but it does nothing for me nutrition wise," Alex mused, thinking back to eating her mother's cooking when she was still alive. Jasper, though he couldn't see into her mind, could feel her melancholy and nodded with a bittersweet smile.

"You'll be okay, you know?" Alice suddenly spoke up, her gazing drilling holes into Alex, "Whatever happens, just know that. You will be fine, happy, safe." It was a little ominous, but she understood that Alice couldn't see everything about her future. She tried not to hope too much, having been informed that the future Alice saw could change based on people's decisions. Jasper looked at his mate like she was the sun, the moon, and the sky, and she felt a twinge of jealousy in that moment. She'd never had a friend before, let alone a love interest. And who didn't want to love and be loved in return?

"I remember you, you know? From back when I was still human," Alice continued. Alex blinked, looking at the girl strangely. She didn't remember ever meeting her. Both her and Jasper looked at the pixie in confusion.

"I don't remember much of anything, but I remember having visions of a blond vampire hunting me, killing me. I know now that it was James. But I was turned before he could get to me. I remember having visions of you trying to stop him, of you slowing him down, interfering, though I never actually met you," at some point Alice had taken her hands, holding them as she looked into her eyes as if to drive her message home, "Thank you."

"Whenever I was with him, I tried to get him to stop hunting. Humans, werewolves, vampires, animals; he would hunt and kill anything that crossed his path or caught his interest. I'm surprised he didn't try to kill you even after you were turned, he probably wanted to see what would become of you," her voice was cold and detached as thought back to her days with James. It was easier to think of the bad memories rather than the good ones, it was better to think of him as a monster that never stopped killing. It hurt her to think of the times where she wasn't absolutely miserable in his presence, of the times where he seemed so honest and sincere in his courting of her, but then he would turn around and slaughter an entire village. He felt no remorse for his actions, and every time he just couldn't understand why she was so disappointed and horrified. It didn't help that while he had killed her people, he had also taken care of her, kept her alive afterwards.

No one responded, and so they sat there in silence, mulling over the conversation they just had. Alice looked tired, Jasper seemed frustrated, and Alex felt empty. She had apparently saved Alice once, and now here she was, killing the girl. Killing this family, her new friends. Her very presence was a curse, and to be considered dear to her was a death sentence. She could already see it in her head, the bodies torn apart, blood painting everything red. And she would be left there, crying in the middle of it all as James smiled at her with bloodstained teeth and lips.

"Stop thinking like that, James was already planning on killing us before you showed up, its not your fault. And who says we're going down without a fight?" Edward announced from the door way of the kitchen, a smirk on his face, though his eyes seemed to be searching her face. She felt horrible for a moment, knowing that he must've read her thoughts, seen the images of his precious people torn to shreds. She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

"Quit that, its rude!" She wanted to be mad at him for reading her mind, but instead she was grateful for him breaking the silence that hung over the room. In a way it was almost a relief to not have to speak her thoughts or her feelings, knowing Edward and Jasper would get her even when she couldn't articulate it all.

"Okay, listen up, I got a plan."

* * *

"He'll never fall for this," Alex insisted, pacing the hotel room which contained herself, Jasper, Alice, and Bella, "His ability is tracking!"

"Which is why we left a fake trail for him to follow," Jasper calmly responded, his nose still buried in a book, "Can you please calm down, you're giving me a headache."

"That's not how it works! Yes, he's a skilled tracker, but the ability of tracking is more than that. Its a sixth sense, an instinct, that guides him. Trust me, I've tried this before, it didn't work then and it won't work now," she stressed, trying to stop herself contained as to alleviate some of his pain. She could tell it was hopeless though, as he flinched every time a new possibility made her stress even more.

"Okay, let's go talk elsewhere, you're scaring Bella," Jasper groaned, standing from his chair. As they talked in the room next to Bella's, she could hear Bella's phone ring and the girl answer it, but she figured the girl was talking to Edward and ignored the conversation, trying to respect her privacy. Alice insists everything will be okay, that she saw James falling for the fake trail, but Alex is uncertain. Jasper stands by his strategy, assuring her that it was the best plan of action for now.

"I shouldn't be here. Even if he falls for Bella's fake trail, he always finds me."

"Yes, but you said yourself that it sometimes took him weeks, months, years, to find you. That's plenty of time to decide where to take Bella or how to take down James and his pack." She froze at his explanation.

"Take them down?" The words felt like syrup in her mouth, thick and heavy. The knot in her chest tightened even more, fear for the coven now being joined by a reluctant fear for James.

"Well, yes. They are killers, we can't allow them to just roam the world freely. They have to be taken down and neutralized." She had never imagined that a southern drawl could manage to sound so cold.

"I never agreed to be part of annihilating their coven. Killing like that would make us no better than them!"

"Either we die or they do, simple as that. And I will not let any of my family die," he spoke softly, looking her in the eyes. He sent his emotions her way, the regret and sadness but strong determination and love. And she understood, after all, her family had done everything in their power to save her. But she wouldn't be able to watch the vampires tear each other apart in their fighting.

"He's changed course," Alice suddenly chimed, expression grave.

"What?!" They ran to get Bella, prepared to leave, to get somewhere safer. But the human was gone. There was some half assed note about how James had her mother, and she was going to meet him somewhere. Within moments, they were on their phones; Jasper with Carlisle, and Alex with Emmett. Alice sat down and began to sketch where she saw James ending up. There were mirrors and arches, but none of them could identify what the room was. Explaining the situation, the others began to head their way, but even for vampires it would take some time to get from Washington to Arizona.

"I can find her, track her scent. But we won't be any match for them, none of us have fed lately," Alex warned.

"This is a trap. Either we let Bella die or we die trying to save her," Jasper explained their options.

"Then lets get moving." Alice smiled ruefully as she spoke, and they headed out into the streets of Phoenix as a group.

* * *

She had managed to pick out Bella's scent and follow it to a closed down ballet studio. It was agony, having to move slowly as to appear human in the crowds. Heavy clothing, sunglasses, and hats covered them from the sun completely. It was a vampire's worst nightmare. Focusing, she could hear heavy breathing and a voice playing over an audio system. It was like the hustle and bustle of Phoenix had disappeared, leaving them in this abandoned, run down section of town. This was definitely a trap. She could see Jasper from the corner of her eye, texting their location to the rest of the coven. She had a feeling the other members of James' coven already had a head start, on their way once they had convinced the Cullens they had fallen for the fake trail. She knew James would never be tricked by a fake trail, though she didn't expect him to bring a human hostage to get Bella to come to him. The fact that she only heard one human inside made her scared.

"We can't go inside, not without backup, or Bella is dead," she reasons as Alice paces, nothing short of frantic.

"What a smart girl," purred an unfamiliar voice. Like that, the other two members of James' coven were there, cornering them against the door of the ballet studio. She wasn't surprised to find the man had lied, clearly he had come to the coven to gain information.

"Don't believe we have had the honor of introducing ourselves, I am Laurent, and this is Victoria. James hasn't told us much about you, Alex," the dark skinned vampire introduced politely, dipping shallowly into a bow. His voice was smooth, calm, and she was even more concerned about their position. This was not the kind of person she expected him to be, and she couldn't predict what he was going to do. Victoria was glaring at her, her lips twitching like she was repressing a snarl. She isn't surprised that they've caught on that there was history between James and herself, though he clearly hadn't told them anything.

"We have orders not to kill you. Too bad that I'm not too good at following orders." And with that cliché line, Victoria lunged at her. Unable to dodge, the other caught her shoulders, tackling her into the door behind her. The door gave way easily with her vampiric strength, spilling them into the lobby of the ballet studio. Glancing back to Alice and Jasper, she saw them holding back Laurent, working seamlessly as a team. However, though they were able to avoid all his attacks, he was able to avoid all of theirs as well. Any blows that did land on him seemed to do nothing. Her attention was brought back to Victoria in time to catch a hand that was coming at her neck, fully intending to cut off her head.

"I don't know what he was thinking when he turned you, just look at you, a mutt." Oh, so she was one of those vampires that considered werewolves inferior. Alex, though no longer truly a werewolf, had pride in who she was, in her identity as a wolf. She considered transforming, but her larger form would put her at a disadvantage in the close quarters. She was grateful for the chance to fight with Emmett hand to hand, otherwise she would be quite rusty. Fighting dirty, she sank her teeth into Victoria's shoulder, ripping off a chunk of flesh when the other jumped off of her.

"Fucking animal!"

"Fucking bitch!" She swept the other vampire's legs out from under her, jumping on top of her and pinning her down. She kept her shoulders on the ground so she couldn't lean up and bite, pinned her legs down so she couldn't be bucked off. Though the other was stronger, she wasn't much of a fighter. Alex, however, had been fighting since she was turned. Victoria, sensing that she had lost for now, snarled and spat but did nothing to fight back. Alex looked up. The rest of the Olympic coven had arrived while she was subduing the redhead. Alice, Rosalie, and Esme were nearby, still fighting with Laurent. Unlike Victoria, he clearly had more experience and skill as a warrior. If the smirk on his face was any indication, he was just playing with them. The males were out of sight, and she couldn't hear anything over the audio that was now deafening.

"Stay down," she growled at Victoria before slamming her into the floor, the wood breaking underneath of her, before running for the ballet studio. She entered the grand room, all tall ceilings and beautiful wood work. Bella was trapped in James' hold, a hostage. They were on the stage, as if this was some tragedy. Her mom was nowhere to be seen, and the males were surrounding James. They didn't seem to understand that one should never corner a wild animal, less they lash out. His teeth hovered threateningly over Bella's neck, one bite away from turning or killing her. And yet Alex found herself hoping that somehow he would just escape, Bella and the coven left unharmed. She could smell blood, and saw Bella had cut her hand open. Edward looked rather roughed up; clothes shredded, cracks on his skin, and unruly hair windblown. There was a grand piano that was now nothing more than a pile of splinters, and the stage had a huge hole in the floor. Even Jasper looked ruffled. Sometimes she forgot how much stronger James was as a vampire who fed on humans, and who fed often at that. All she could do was watch, a bystander since she hadn't truly picked a side. There was blood dripping into her eyes from a cut on her forehead that she hadn't noticed from before, washing everything in a red haze. All she could hear was that damn audio, though she could probably read their lips if she focused. She was dissociating, which was dangerous on a battleground.

"He's mine." How could she be so stupid to assume Victoria would listen? She felt pressure before anything else, and she looked down to see a hand sticking out of her stomach. While it wouldn't kill her, it certainly hurt like a bitch. She was in shock, couldn't do anything but watch in morbid fascination as Victoria's hand clenched into a first before it was ripped out of her. She stumbled forward, hands cupping the gaping hole in her abdomen as if to hold in her organs. Victoria kicked out her legs, and Alex fell to her knees. She was still facing the stage, the scene of James smirking as he held Bella hostage. He was grabbing her leg, and from the agony on Bella's face, he was threatening to break her femur like a toothpick. Alex could tell he was mocking them, challenging the men surrounding him, but she couldn't hear him over the audio. She could now see what the audio went to, a projector displaying Bella's family videos on a screen. Sneaky James, he never actually had Bella's mom, he just tricked the gullible human into thinking he did. None of them could hear anything other than their immediate surroundings, meaning no one heard her being impaled or her fall to her knees on the dusty wooden floor.

"He's just using you until he gets bored of you," Alex warned the redhead, rewarded when the other grabbed her hair and pulled her head back. She was looking Victoria in the eyes as she brought a hand to Alex's exposed neck. She could rip out her vocal chords, could rip out her throat, could break her neck, could rip off her head, but instead she was busy savoring Alex's position.

"I'm his mate, we will be together forever!" She felt bad for the vampire, who was clearly so obsessed that she was blind to who James really was. She was living in an illusion where he had convinced the poor woman that she was special to him. It was just like him to be so cruel. She wondered if Laurent could see through to his intentions, but it was terrifying to think that he could and just didn't care.

"I'm the only mate he has ever wanted." She was digging her own grave, she knew. For so long she didn't care if she lived or died, and yet here she was now, scared to lose everything. Her new friends, her life, her memories of her family, her title as the last member of her pack, and James. Her maker, her tormentor, her protector, her enemy, her burden, her twisted love. She had always thought he would be the one to end her, and it feels wrong that its this jealous, crazy woman. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned after all.

"James!" She wasn't even aware she screamed out his name (like a prayer, like a last word) when Victoria's hand drew back, preparing to kill her. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the blow that would send her to be with her family. But instead, she felt a breeze brush her face, heard a small gasp from behind her, felt something land on the ground in front of her, and the hand tangled in her hair released her. Without Victoria to force her head back and keep her body upright, she slumped forward. Before she could hit the ground, there were arms around her.

"I'm here, Alex," a familiar voice soothed as she was pulled back into a chest. There were legs on either sides of hers, pressing against her, holding her together. She felt surrounded by him. She opened her eyes and immediately screamed, attempting to crawl backwards but not getting far, the body behind her unmoving, her hands skidding around on the slick wood beneath them. There, in front of her, between her legs, was Victoria's head. Her expression was screwed up into a combination of betrayal and shock. Alex was enraptured, staring at the dead eyes of the once lively vampire. A pale hand came into view before covering her eyes, breaking her connection with the severed head. Her head was guided backwards until it rested on his shoulder.

"You're okay, I'll keep you safe," he murmured, and she could feel the vibrations of his voice as he talked. His free hand reached to her front, pulling up her shirt to expose her stomach. He tensed, accessing the damage.

"Its fine, I'm fine," she wheezed. Her heart was untouched, and her head was attached to her body, she would live. But her lungs can been clipped and breathing was difficult enough without the blood filling her mouth.

"You have a hole through your abdomen, somehow I doubt that," James deadpanned. He pulled her into his lap before lifting her bridal style, standing up in the process. It was remarkably smooth, though she groaned a bit at the repositioning. The side of her face was now pressed into his shoulder, and she couldn't help but nuzzle it. He was warm and familiar, and she was so cold and tired. She tried to blocked out the way he cruelly kicked the severed head out of view, feeling nauseous. She buried her face into his jacket, the smell of him on it acting as a balm.

"Let me look at her," Carlisle's soft voice intoned, closer than she remembered. She realized that she could hear again, the audio from before now muted or paused. She wondered how long its been silent, how much the others heard of their exchange. She could hear Bella's frantic heartbeat, and she smiled softly. Unfortunately, James didn't take the other vampire's request well, a growl echoing in the large room. She struggled to face their approximate location and open her eyes, but she mostly managed. Things were a bit blurry, but that could just be the blood in her eyes. The Cullens were standing together in the middle of the room, Edward holding Bella close. Her wrist was bent the wrong way and there was a deep bruise on her leg, but it looked like James stopped before snapping her bone. She was definitely favoring her other leg though.

"Its okay, he's a friend," she insisted, meeting Carlisle's eyes. He seemed worried for her, but was wary of coming closer to the tracker they had been fighting to the death with moments ago. He seemed to understand that James was even more of a threat now than he was earlier.

"You hurt her, and I will rip your head off before anyone can even blink." And she knew that wasn't an empty threat. Carlisle stepped forward slowly, approaching them, hands in sight the entire time. Smart man, showing all his movements. James crushed her to his chest as if to hide her, but stopped when she hissed in pain. Carlisle touched her gently, fingertips tracing the edges of the wound. Despite his care, she still cringed away. In response to her pain, James seemed to hum, a deep rumble that was subtle enough that only she could hear it, feel it. He was trying to soothe her.

"Bite her, please."

"What?" Multiple voices sounded at once, some confused, some disbelieving.

"This is going to hurt badly, biting her could spare her some pain. As her sire, it should act as a painkiller if done correctly," the doctor explained. James slowly nodded, moving her away from his chest slightly so that he could better access her neck. She tensed, skittish. Past experiences with James biting her had left her rather wary of the experience, mainly because she had never had a say in it. She was surprised when his lips met her mark, softly tracing it. When she had loosened up a bit, he slowly, gently, sank his teeth into the mark. There was no pain this time, in fact, she didn't really even feel her body anymore. She just felt...happy, warm in a way she hasn't felt since she was a child, curled up under a blanket with her favorite toy, her parents protecting her as she slept. It felt like James and her were the only people in the room, in the world. She didn't even feel Carlisle reaching inside her wound, searching for foreign objects and signs of healing. She didn't see him scowl, displeased with whatever he found. She came back down from her high when James carefully removed his teeth from her flesh. Running on instinct and clearly unaware that he was even doing it, his tongue soothed and cleaned the mark. She was grateful when no one said anything about their little display, though Alice and Rosalie clearly noticed from the looks they were exchanging. It was so easy, too easy, to just ease into his arms, to trust him to take care of her despite everything that had happened, despite who he was.

"She needs to come back with us, we know someone who can help. I don't know how to help her."

"She isn't going anywhere," James bit out. There was an implied "with you" at the end, and she could tell everyone picked up on it.

"There is a pack back-" Esme was cut off by James when she tried to explain what her husband meant.

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged," Emmett sneered, moving out of line with the others to take a threatening step forward.

"Stop it! Alex is hurt, and you guys being stubborn assholes isn't helping," Bella shouted, eyes blazing. Alex was surprised the human had the guts to shout at a group of beings that could kill her with the ease of crushing a bug. But she hadn't really gotten to know the high schooler during her time with the Olympic coven, so she shouldn't assume anything about her. Alex found herself endeared to the girl, the fire in her eyes familiar.

"The pack could-"

"She is-"

"Get back-"

"Take me to the pack," she interjected among the chaos, effectively silencing the room. For the first time since the ambush in the woods, James' eyes met hers. They were still a dark burgundy, cold with fury. But there was something else too, something sad and hurt. Her heart clenched, and she spoke without thinking of what she was saying.

"Come with me," she offered softly, smiling gently at the response she received. If she hadn't been so close to him, she would have never noticed the way his jaw clenched, the way his eyes widened a fraction. She had spent her lifetime telling him, pleading with him, screaming at him to leave her alone, and now she was asking him to come with her. Face seemingly blank, he nodded.

"There is no way that monster is-" Edward's seething was cut off by a rather sharp tone.

"Where ever Alex goes, he goes. Got it?" Thank god for Rosalie. Alice was on her tiptoes beside her, basically sparkling. Alex wondered if she had seen this happening, if she knew what was going to happen next. When she caught the pixie's eye, the girl winked at her, and Alex found herself vaguely amused. Alice and Rosalie took it upon themselves to escort James, Alex still in his arms, outside. There was furious whispers and complaints, but Alex was too content to care. The pain was just as bad as before, but for now she could handle it. Then came the discussion of how to get her back to Forks, whether or not Bella needed to go to a hospital, and what to do about Victoria. Apparently Laurent had abandoned ship when James took out Victoria, wisely figuring that he would be next if he was still present. Jasper volunteered to dispose of the body (AKA: throw it in the hole in the stage and burn the abandoned studio to the ground). Running with her would be faster, but had the potential to do more damage than good. Driving would take forever, but she would be comfortable. Flying wasn't an option, neither was her trying to make it on her own. After more arguing, it was decided that someone would carry her back. And then after more arguing, they still couldn't decide on who to carry her or how. Though she was comfortable in James' arms, she was wary of trusting him. She also knew that the others were unwilling to allow him around her more than deemed useful, unsure if the other would use the opportunity to finish what he started or to steal her away.

"It makes the most sense to have Emmett carry me, you good with that big guy?" Alex finally decided, needing this to be over. She decidedly ignored the look James was probably giving her as Emmett, the teddy bear that he was, lit up at the chance to help his friend. He shot James a smug look as he stood off with the lone vampire. For a moment, it seemed like her maker wasn't going to let her go, was just going to flee with her, but he eventually yielded with a snarl. He lifted her up, allowing Emmett to get his arms under her. She giggled as he spun around, her in his arms. She longed to race with him again, friends racing through the forest, howling. But she winced as she was reminded of her injury.

"Be careful, you big lug," Alice chided gently, though there was a gleam in her eye that said she would carry Alex herself if he didn't control himself. Edward, to no one's surprise, decided to carry Bella back. Carlisle, assuring that her injuries were minor and could be treated by himself at home, gave him the go ahead. They got into a formation as they began their journey, Carlisle and Esme leading them, then Jasper and Alice, then Emmett with Alex, shadowed by James, then Edward with Bella, and then Rosalie in the rear.

"You okay?" Emmett asked her quietly as he carried her. She knew what he meant; was she in pain, was she okay with going back with them, was she okay with James being there.

"Yeah, I really am," she responded, mostly honest. As careful as he was holding her, the experience of being carried while someone was running wasn't fun. Her everything ached, she was hungry and weak, and all this movement was stressing her injury. She couldn't help but long to be in James' arm, where his scent seemed to act as a numbing agent. She knew she would heal faster as a wolf, but it also would put too much stress on her body to transform while this injured. That, and a giant wolf wasn't exactly transportable. She had never been injured to this degree before, so she had no reference for what would happen. She was both a vampire and a wolf, yet neither. As far as she knew, no other young wolf had ever survived the transformation, and a vampire's venom had no affect on a fully developed wolf, so she was the only hybrid in the world. She had heard of beings that were both vampire and human, though there was only one that she actually knew of. James had dragged her around many continents before in the times when he caught her, exploring the world for the oddities and the freaks like her to hunt.

"How exactly is the wolf pack going to help you? We don't even know if they will, let alone if they can," Emmett muttered to her, quiet enough that only they could hear it. It made her happy that she had someone, multiple someones, to worry over her like this, yet she felt bad for worrying them at all. She wished she could assure him, but she didn't know the answers herself. The rest of the journey was spent in silence, though Emmett asked every now and then if she was okay. The pain was getting worse with every minute, but she kept it to herself. She caught Jasper a few times glancing back at her, clearly feeling her pain increasing, but not saying anything. He seemed to get that she just wanted to get back. She could feel him trying to take some of her pain onto himself, but she held fast, refusing to let him suffer for her. She was afraid of meeting James' eyes, but she found herself glancing over at him every now and then. Almost subconsciously, he had placed himself in Emmett's blind spot as they ran. She didn't know if it was an ambush technique or if he was protecting the blind spot. Just knowing he was still there, that he there for her, soothed her. His face was blank though, which wasn't unusual for him but was still rather concerning. Suddenly he caught her looking at him, a smirk appearing on his face. Flustered, she turned her head back around, smacking Emmett when he chuckled at her expense.

They were almost out of California when she began to shiver. It was an awful thing, her body always stuck between being a vampire and being a werewolf. Emmett quickly called out, the group coming to a stop and gathering around her.

"What's going on?" Bella asked, "I thought vampires didn't get cold?"

"They don't, but apparently injured werewolves do," Carlisle muttered, touching her forehead, "And apparently they get fevers."

"Don't fall asleep," ordered Rosalie as Alex's eyelids began to flutter. She was so cold, so tired, in so much pain. She hasn't slept since the day she was turned, the vampire in her making it unnecessary. It was odd how much she longed to fall into the sweet embrace of sleep.

"Her body can't take much more, neither can her mind. Her pain has been steadily getting worse since we left," tattled Jasper. She was a bit mad at him, but not like it would do much now that it was out in the open.

"We need to get her to La Push, now."

"I can try to carry her under my shirt?" Emmett offered, though he was clearly grasping at straws. There was a scoff from nearby and suddenly there was something heavy over her, something warm. It took her eyes a moment to focus, but when they did, she saw James' leather jacket was now tossed over her like a blanket. James then put the jacket on her backwards, as she was still being held. Gently he guided her arms into sleeves, her hands into pockets, tucking anything loose around her sides and under her. It left him standing there in dark jeans and a pale blue shirt. Without his jacket, and discounting his eyes and skin, he looked like a normal human, nothing off putting. Emmett just stood there awkwardly as James hovered, obviously uncomfortable with having the serial killer so close. She was still cold, but her shivering stopped for the time being.

"Let's get moving, we need to speed it up a bit," Jasper commanded, everyone moving to follow, trusting him. They got moving again, and Alex felt like she was floating. There was nothing to tie her down, nothing to keep her steady. She could see Emmett's mouth moving but she couldn't hear him, could see his face grow more worried as she didn't respond, could feel him speed up until he was running as fast as he could, the rest of the coven and James moving faster to keep up and maintain a formation. She could smell James' scent on his jacket, and it made her feel better. If she smelled like a cold winter's day, he smelled like fall; like spices, smoke, and damp leaves. It shouldn't smell so good, but it smelled like home now, it had ever since he took her.

She can almost feel it like a physical sensation when they cross into the pack's territory, and she isn't surprised when they soon came to a stop. There's a combination of wolves and half dressed Native Americans surrounding them. She can pick out the Alpha, but instead Carlisle defers to a man confined to a wheelchair.

"We had an agreement with your coven, part of that stated that you were to stay off our land," boomed the Alpha. The werewolf in her wanted to show her respect to the Alpha of this pack, but there was no way she could in her state.

"Please, we come in peace. We need your help," Carlisle stated politely, even bowing slightly.

"You need help, so you thought you could just violate our agreement? And I see you even brought strangers onto our land." Damn was this dude a dick. She could see Edward glance at her with a smirk when he caught what she thought. She weakly smiled in return.

"Sam, let them speak," the middle aged man urged. She wondered who he was to be able to go against the Alpha. He was clearly a wolf at heart, though the form had long been gone if it had been there at all. To her surprise, the Alpha, Sam, allowed the odd man to take over the situation. There was a boy about Bella's age that followed the man in the wheelchair, and from the way he avoided looking at Bella and vise versa, they clearly knew each other.

"This woman is special, and I don't know how to treat werewolves." Well, that certainly got their attention if the murmurs around them were any indication. The man waved at Emmett to come forward, and so he did. Emmett had to kneel to put her at level with the elder, being careful to support her.

"She is nothing I have ever seen before. What is your name? Where are you from?" His wrinkled hands traced her face, pulled a hand free of the pockets to trace the lines.

"I no longer remember my name, but I go by Alex. I am the last of my pack from Siberia," she leaned to sit up slightly despite her agony to meet the man's eyes. They were dark, but they were gentle, like black velvet.

"Your eyes...Truly you are a wolf. But you are also a vampire, are you not?" There were gasps as he asked this of her, more when she nodded.

"She needs to eat and rest. It would be best if her mate was kept close by, she will heal better with them to give her strength. When she is strong enough, she should assume her wolf form, she will finish healing completely then. I wish something could be done for her pain, but her body would burn through all medication before any effects could be seen," he instructed, all of the vampires paying rapt attention. However, there was a certain part that got their attention.

"Her mate?" Emmett sounded dumbfounded.

"She was born a wolf, and I can tell she has imprinted, has found her soulmate," he explains, pointing at what she remembers to be her heart line on her palm, "Maybe with her tribe imprinting is different, as it doesn't seem to bind her like it does us. As a vampire, this person would be her mate."

"And if she has denied her mate?" asked the unexpected voice. James stepped forward, looking at the older man, eyes narrowed. The pack seemed to pick up on his hostility, tensing and fur standing up on their backs. It was obvious that he wasn't like the Olympic coven. James was everything bad about vampires rolled into one being; the bloodlust, the power, the disregard for life, the recklessness, the anger, the sadism, the predator. But the elder doesn't falter as his eyes cut to her, instantly putting together the pieces.

"Then I am unsure if she will heal correctly, or at all," came his ominous reply.

"Thank you for your help, Billy. Sam, please forgive our intrusions. We will immediately vacated your land and return home to take care of Alex," Carlisle excused them, longing to escape the now awkward and tense atmosphere.

"It is no problem, Carlisle. Helping this woman had been my pleasure. Please allow my son, Jacob, to come into your home and help care for her. Surely it would be best to have a wolf present if something were to happen?" That sneaky old man. It was obvious he had good intentions, but Alex thinks that he was about to start a fight.

"Dad, I'm sure that's not-"

"Why would we want a dog-"

"Of course, we would be grateful for the pack's assistance," and with that, Carlisle sealed their fate.

"When you are better, please come visit, I have a feeling there is much for us to discuss," Billy offers, a gentle smile on his face as he addresses her. She finds herself growing fond of the man, he seems like an honest and trustworthy individual.

"I would be honored to visit you, with the Alpha's permission to enter pack territory, of course," she offers diplomatically, nodding respectfully at Sam.

"Any wolf will always have a home here, you are welcome to come on pack lands anytime," Sam allows, going a step further as if to rub it in the coven's face. James was smirking, obviously entertained by the change in conversation.

"Thank you, Alpha, for your graciousness." It never hurt to kiss a little ass, especially when this was the first pack to ever welcome her so openly before, even going as far to offer her a home. With that, Emmett stands, her still in his arms. Billy's son, Jacob, takes his place next to them as Emmett walks back towards the others. They are quick to leave pack territory, very aware of the wolves following them from the shadows, though they can't go too fast as to leave behind their guest.

"It is nice to meet you, Jacob," she offers, reaching out a shaky hand for him to shake. He looks wary of her, but gently shakes her hand anyway. She is determined to befriend him, her first werewolf friend.

"I've never seen anyone handle both my dad and Sam so well before, you'll have to tell me how you did that," he jokes in lieu of an introduction. Yeah, she's sure that they are going to be friends.

"So Jake, you're a werewolf?" Bella asks, almost sarcastically, effectively killing the lightening mood. It was clear to Alex that these two were friends, and Jake hadn't been truthful with Bella about what he really was. It seemed like the boy was brokenhearted, but hiding it behind anger as to not feel inadequate compared to Edward. Look at her, stealing Jasper's gig.

"No, I haven't transformed yet. But I will be." He sounds more resigned than proud, angry at his fate. Alex makes a note to speak to him later, knowing how scary the process can be, especially when the transformation is against their will. After that, they traveled in silence until they reached the Cullen residence.

"Our rooms here are pretty much just for storage since we don't sleep. Alex, you can stay in my room as you heal, at least until we can get a room ready for you," offers Rosalie, addressing a worry Alex didn't even know that she had. She was assuming that she would just stay on the couch for a few days or something, then move on.

"That is, assuming that you would be interested in staying with us? Even if you would only be interested in visiting occasionally, we would like for you to always have a room in this house," clarified Esme, ever the maternal figure.

"I honestly hadn't thought about what to do next, but I would love to have a room here." Her heart felt like it was about to burst, it seems like today was really a turning point for her.

"There is a sitting area in Rosalie's room, so there will be somewhere for you to watch over Alex, Jacob." He looked relieved that he would be somewhere away from the others, and she couldn't blame him, what with the awkwardness between the vampires and the wolf. With that, they entered the beautiful home.

* * *

Once inside, everyone seemed to scatter. Alice with Jasper, Carlisle with Esme, Edward with Bella, leaving Jacob, Emmett, Rosalie, and Alex. They brought her up the stairs and down to the end of the hallway into what she assumed was Rosalie's room.

"Emmett, go put Alex in the tub in my bathroom, make sure the water doesn't get too hot. With her weak like this, it could scald her like she was a human," instructed Rosalie, already rearranging the bedroom to suit Alex's needs better, "Wolfy, Alex needs to eat. There's some raw steaks downstairs, bring them up, blood and all." He looked vaguely disturbed but rushed to follow her orders.

"Rosalie, thanks for this, but you can calm down. Its been a rough day for all of us, chill out." The look she got in return made her promptly try to disappear into Emmett's arms.

"You need to just let her do her thing, otherwise she'll just worry more," advised Emmett, moving to lower her into the warm water he had just filled the tub with. She was quick to remove James' jacket, throwing it out of harm's way before it could get soaked. And then she realized, James had somehow disappeared before they entered the house. But she didn't have the energy to worry about him right now. She then nodded for Emmett to continue, and so he did. The warm water felt great until it reached her wound, then she was suddenly screaming in pain.

"Shit!" Emmett moved to take her out of the water, but Rosalie stopped him.

"It'll hurt like hell, but we need to be able to clean it out. This is the best way," she explained, a sad look in her eyes as she look in Alex writhing in the bathtub. She then shooed out Emmett, reassuring Jacob as well that Alex was fine after he ran into the bathroom after hearing her scream. Eventually the pain faded to a level she could handle, leaving Alex panting as she recovered. She felt like a doll as Rosalie moved her around, removing clothes and washing her hair for her. When deemed clean enough, the water was drained and she was wrapped up in a black towel. But for a moment, she got a look at her wound. It was a gory tunnel through her abdomen. She was grateful that Victoria hadn't gone through her spine or her heart or lungs. Rosalie quickly wrapped her in bandages, so many layers and so tight that Alex jested about looking like a mummy. Rosalie threw a red tank top over her, ignoring her protests about her style, claiming it was purely for convenience sake. When they got into the bedroom, Jacob was laid out on a couch in the little sitting area. Alex took a moment to appreciate the sheer size and elegance of the room before she was placed in the bed. A tray filled with a variety of fresh raw meats was placed in front of her, and Alex couldn't help but devour everything. She felt like a savage, tearing into meat and licking off the plates for every last drop of blood, but her body demanded she eat. At least her mess was limited to the tray and to her face, though she felt awful when she looked up and saw both Jacob and Emmett staring at her in horror.

"I need more blood," she admitted to Rosalie, her craving for protein met but not her need for liquid life. She was thankful when Rosalie handed her a mug, the handle making it easier to drink and the material hiding the blood from Jacob's view. Her needs met for now, she began to get comfortable in the large bed, not even noticing when Rosalie and Emmett took their leave.

"You need me to turn up the heat?" Jacob offered, indicating the heated electric mattress pad Rosalie must've thrown on the bed while she was in the tub.

"Yeah, just a little bit if you don't mind," she sheepishly said.

"No problem," he said, and meant it. He had dragged a chair from the seating area to beside her bed when it was clear that she was still too wound up to sleep. She was happy that he didn't ask how she was or how she ended up with a hole in her stomach.

"So, where's your mate?"

"Um, well, you see, that's complicated." He raised an eyebrow at her, not impressed with her not really an answer.

"Its that weird vampire from earlier, isn't it?" She sighed, figuring that she may as well unload on him, see if he had any advice for her. He seemed more insightful than the vampires gave him credit for.

"He didn't kill me because he wanted me for a mate, but I never thought that any of that had any merit. I know that while they are guided by instinct, vampires choose their mates. I thought that he just wanted me because I was a challenge. But werewolves, you don't choose your soulmate. So suddenly, I've been denying my mate for 150 years, but I can't accept him because he is one of the worse beings I have ever had the displeasure of coming across." He thought over what she said for a moment before speaking, summing up her situation.

"If you don't accept him, you may die. In order for you to accept him, either you will have to change or he will have to change. There's not really a good option for you."

"Could I take on a different mate? He may be my soulmate, but that's the wolf part of me. The vampire side should be satisfied as long as I have a mate in general," her tone had a slight whine to it, but she had more or less accepted her position.

"That could work, but I don't think that he'll let that happen. For now, try to get some rest like my dad said. I'll be over on the couch if you need anything."

* * *

Alex woke up to Jasper running his fingers through her hair. She felt remarkably relaxed, like this was a dream. And then she realized what was happening.

"I know how you feel about me taking away your pain, but your body can't handle all the stress right now on top of you denying your mate."

"How did you-"

"We all heard James at La Push. And I've suspected since I first saw you interact that day at the baseball field. The emotions pouring off of you both were pretty intense." She scoffed at his deadpan tone. This was her first time really interacting with him one on one, and she found that she enjoyed his company. Though she still found the tortured look he got when Bella was around hilarious, especially since she could tell that he wouldn't just snap and go into a feeding frenzy. She admired him for changing his lifestyle like this, knowing how difficult it was.

"Jake?" she suddenly remembered, looking around for the teenager that had been present when she was last awake.

"He's asleep over in the chair. You've been asleep for awhile, and he hasn't left this room once. Don't know how you managed to bond with him in the 10 minutes you talked to him, but he seems really worried for you. We're all worried for you." Jasper's tone was fond and she felt bad that they were so worried, taking one of his hands that was running through her hair and holding it lightly as if to show that she appreciated how much they cared for her. Between her gesture and the emotions pouring off of her, he seemed to get her message.

"How long?" There was something about his tone, about the way he was acting, that spoke of bad news. After a paused, he answered her.

"You've been out for 4 days. You just aren't healing. The only reason you're awake now is because I made you wake up." Well, shit. She had known it was a possibility, but she wasn't prepared for it to actually happen. She wouldn't die, but with a wound like this that wouldn't heal, she wouldn't be able to live much of a life. The fact that she needed someone to even wake up at all was frightening. If the Volturi ever got word of her disability, the twins would end her on principle alone.

"James?"

"After the first day you didn't wake up, we tried looking for him. We know he's still around here, there are tracks outside that show he's been circling the house, but he's been avoiding us." She hummed in response, thinking things over. He hadn't come to actually see her, but he had been checking on her from afar, possibly waiting for her. She hoped that he hadn't killed anymore people, but it was currently out of her control. Jasper was staring down at her, uncertain but determined.

"Go on, you clearly have something to say," she allowed with a light tone, amused at his expression.

"I know how you feel about what kind of person James is. And don't get me wrong, he's only a step below the Volturi in my eyes. But the emotions that came off of him when Victoria was about to kill you...He cares about you. Love can change people, I would know. I'm not saying that you should forgive him by any means, but maybe you can accept him." His words meant a lot to her, gave her a lot to think about. She didn't know much about Jasper other than that he was the newest to the 'vegetarian' lifestyle, and hadn't considered the similarities between his situation and James'. But she had know James for the majority of her life, and knew him well at that. Alex couldn't picture James becoming like Jasper, couldn't imagine him ever giving up his hunts and games. They were a core part of who he was. She had caught glimpses of something approaching good deep inside of him, but he hadn't ever acted on it until he saved her. Despite how she was always running from him, she couldn't imagine a life without him. She was so confused and conflicted, and knew the only way to settle her mind would be to talk to him. But she would need some help.

"Think you could do me a favor?"

"I'll do what I can."

"I can't go to him, so I need to let him come to me. Take Jacob, tell him what's going on, and leave the windows unlocked. Please make sure no one comes in here, no matter what, unless I give permission." He looked at her intensely as if seeing if she was really set on going through with this, and then nodded when he saw that her decision was unwavering. He got up from the bed and went to shake Jake awake. He spent a moment detailing what was going on to Jake, who seemed wide awake once he understood the gravity of the situation.

"Good luck, Alex," Jasper said gently, clearly meaning it, as he left the room. Jake, who had unfolded himself from the couch and was now heading out the door, hesitated before backtracking to her bedside.

"Will you be okay?" His jaw was clenched, and she imagined that his teeth were probably grinding together. She wanted to hug him, to comfort him, but it was hard when she was the root of his worry.

"He may be a serial killer, but he won't hurt me, not when I'm like this." He didn't seem very convinced, but nodded to show that he would respect her decision.

"I'll help the empathic leech keep people out, but if I get a bad feeling about this, I'm coming in." She chuckled, smiling at his protective nature. He hadn't even transformed yet, but he was ready to fight a vampire for her.

"Thanks, pup," she teased, feeling lighter when he raised an eyebrow.

"Pup?"

"Remember, I'm almost 150 years old, you're a pup to me."

* * *

Alex didn't have to wait long before she felt uneasy. James was definitely nearby. She could almost sense him circling the house, hesitating outside below her window with each pass. Eventually, he came to a stop. He seemed to know that something was different, that she was alone. She could hear the sounds of nails on glass as he made the jump. She turned her head to face the window, and through her weak eyes, she could see the blurry figure of James outside. There was a cold breeze as he pushed the window in, shutting it quickly once he was inside. He didn't approach her though, instead pacing the room, checking it out. He was restless, agitated, and she was nervous, hesitant. Each waiting for the other to speak first, though there was so much to say.

"Where's your guard dog?" He was mean, mocking her. But she couldn't fall for it if they were to get anywhere.

"Taking a break." They regarded each other for awhile after her plain answer, as if trying to determine where to go from there. Slowly James began to calm down, no longer pacing the room like a feral animal. He moved to stand at the foot of bed, finally addressing her properly.

"What's going on? You haven't moved in days." Although she knew that he had been circling the house and checking on her from afar, his concern still made her feel warm in ways that she normally ignored.

"I'm not healing, James," she broke the news to him gently, not surprised when he showed displeasure.

"I knew I shouldn't have left you here, these fucking-" Okay, so maybe displeasure wasn't a strong enough word for what he was feeling.

"Its not their fault, they've done all they can do for me," she gently chided, "James, I'm going to ask you a few questions, and I need you to answer me truthfully."

"Fine, but I have some questions of my own." She was grateful that she had gotten this far, that he had agreed. But she could tell by the gleam in his eyes that this wouldn't be easy for her either. But nothing worth fighting for was ever easy.

"Why did you spare me? Why did you bite me?"

"I had all intentions of killing you when I found you, the last member of your pack. But then you looked me in the eyes, and I just couldn't kill you. I was curious, why was it that you were the first person that I had ever hesitated to kill? So I took you. But you were too weak, too young to have the endurance of a werewolf. But I needed answers, so I turned you. My turn, who are these people to you?"

"At first they were a coven that I was determined to protect from you. But then they let me into their home, gave me clothes, didn't treat me like an abomination. Then I got to know them, this coven that is really a family. I talked to them, raced with them, wrestled with them; befriended them. My turn-"

"You didn't answer completely. You left out the young wolf."

"Fine. At first he was just here to make sure that the coven was meeting my needs, then we started talking. And I don't know, it just felt like we were already friends, we just hit it off. I think of him like a brother. Now can I go?" At his nod, she continued, "Why did you save me from Victoria?"

"Easy, she disobeyed orders. No one was to hurt you, and she didn't listen," he answered darkly.

"I didn't ask why you killed her, I asked why you saved me."

"You are mine. You are the first and only person I have ever turned, you belong to me. And thus I decide when you die." His eye contact with her was intense, as if he was trying to impose his will on her.

"I don't think you have much of a say now, I'm dying whether or not you want me to," she mused, a little off put with how he thought of her as a possession.

"Then why am I here, Alex?" He was agitated, aggressive. In response, it made her feel like screaming. How didn't he get how she felt? Did he truly not know her at all?

"Because I want you here! Because I'm scared and I don't know what to do! Because I don't want to die alone! Because-" She stopped herself, the tension running through her making her injury hurt more. She had already said enough, and didn't want to be anymore vulnerable in front of him. He seemed to pick up on her pain, walking away and pacing around the seating area as if to cool off. They stole glances at each other, trying to read the mood. When she was settled back into her pillows and he wasn't lashing out, he came back over. He stood at her bedside this time, closer.

"What are you saying?" His tone gave nothing away, neither did his facial expression. He seemed to finally be catching on, but there was no indications for her to run off of.

"I'm saying that I wanted my mate," she forced out like it hurt her.

"Your mate, huh? Well, you haven't actually accepted a mate, Alex." Even now he was cruel, and she hated to admit that she had been the one to put herself in this situation. She couldn't bring herself to accept that his anger was deserved this time, that she was the one in the wrong. He had been waiting for her for 150 years while she was off avoiding him like the plague.

"Why are you doing this?" she groaned, frustrated with how this conversation was going. She didn't know what reaction she was expecting, but this indifference was definitely not it. Suddenly, he was there above her, kneeling on his hands and knees on the bed. His face was inches away, his expression more serious than she had ever seen. Alex hadn't even seen or felt him move, and it was intimidating to be so helpless. Even so, he was precise in his placement, careful to not jostle her.

"I need to hear you say it. This is serious; this is a bond, an agreement, that lasts even after death. Vampires only have one mate, just as werewolves only have one soulmate," he explained, though she already knew this. When she didn't look away from his eye contact, didn't waver, he seemed to soften. He searched her face, almost disbelieving what was happening. One of his hands shifted from holding himself up to hold her face, a thumb gently tracing her cheekbone. She couldn't help but lean into the touch, pressing her face into his hand. He seemed to steel himself before speaking.

"Alex, I want you to be my mate. Do you accept me?" His voice was gravelly, his eyes dark with intention. Was this what humans felt like when their significant other proposed? Because this felt like so much more, like selling her soul to the devil, like handing her heart away. And she couldn't help but think that maybe that wasn't so bad as long as it was James. She didn't even care if he didn't want to give her his heart in return, after all, she had been his since the day they met.

"James, I accept you as my mate." The moment the words were out of her mouth, a pair of lips were crushed to her own, the hand on her cheek moving to the back of her head, pressing her face into his. He was growling, but for once it wasn't because of violence. He seemed to be caught in some kind of frenzy, lips moving harshly against hers, searing her, bruising her, claiming her. She gave as good as she got, allowing him to control the kiss but actively participating. She wasn't surprised when his tongue slipped between her lips, invading her mouth. His growling seemed to get even louder as she traced his teeth with her tongue hard enough to cut it, her blood filling their mouths.

However, she needed to breathe, beginning to get light headed with oxygen deprivation. She pushed on his chest gently and was surprised when he moved easily in response. But he didn't go very far. His lips separated from hers, and he began to trace her face with his lips. He moved from her lips to her cheeks, her forehead, then down to her neck. He pushed aside the straps of the tank top she was in, lips finding her mark. He kissed it before slowly biting her. Acting on instinct, she reached up and shifted his shirt to reveal his shoulder. In approximately the same location of her mark, she bit down. For a moment it seemed like she wouldn't be able to break the skin, but then it suddenly gave way. His blood filled her mouth, and though it tasted exquisite, she had no urge to drink it. They remained locked like that for awhile, time meaningless. Her hands moved to the back of his neck, holding his head to her and running her fingers through his hair. She never wanted this moment to end.

Eventually, though, she began to fatigue. Her grip began to weaken, and her teeth slid from his neck. He responded in kind, gently removing his teeth from her mark and lowering her head back down onto the pillows. He rolled off of her to lay beside her, arms moving around her to embrace her. It was a bit awkward as she had to remain on her back because of her wound, but he managed. His chin rested on the top of her head, his front glued to her side. Despite the pain it caused her, she pressed herself into him, eyes closing. He was purring like a sated cat, the vibrations relaxing her even further. They came down from their high slowly, but still it felt right to be like this. She was enveloped by him; by his arms, by his body, by his scent. Alex knew she had done the right thing, knew that a part of her had always wanted this.

"Why now? Is it just because you're dying and this is some last chance at living?" His voice surprised her, as did his tone. It was bitter and disappointed, and she realized that he thought she wanted this because it was just convenient. She shifted her head, turning to face him. He moved away slightly so that they could be face to face, but they still remained touching.

"You risked your own life to save me. You were an easy target for the Cullens when you were killing Victoria. And even now, knowing that I may die, you still want me, regardless how much it will hurt you if I die. I'll admit, the situation has forced me to reevaluate a lot and has helped me have some realizations, but I want you for you."

"I've always wanted you. And now, I will always have you."

"What a romantic," she said sarcastically, though his sentiment still made her happy, as creepy as it was.

"Hey, if you wanted romantic, should have gone with wolf boy." He phrased it as a joke, but there was something underlying his words.

"Is it too late to change? Because Jake would-" she could feel James grow tense and rolled her eyes, "I'm just joking! Geez, I chose you, don't forget that." She rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes and just letting the peace settle between them. Though he would never admit it, he nuzzled her back affectionately. She wasn't too surprised when the mood was ruined by a knocking at the door. James shifted away, his eyes calculating. Without waiting for an answer, the door was thrown open, Jacob entering the room with a tray. His eyes quickly took in the situation, looking her over for any signs of harm or discomfort. When he found nothing, his eyes flicked to James. He took in James' body language and expression, and when nothing registered as aggressive or threatening, he met her eyes and smirked.

"Hey, brought you some food." He lifted up the tray as if to draw emphasis to it. He approached the bed, careful to maintain a laidback gate. He set down the tray on the bed side table, handing her a covered dish.

"Thanks, Jake."

"Brought a blood bag for your boyfriend too," he added, tossing the bag to James as opposed to handing it to him. The vampire easily caught it, seemingly dismissing the young wolf as he looked at the packaged blood with distaste.

"Blood bag?" he asked, opening the tube at the top and sniffing at the contents.

"Well, it would be too much like quitting cold turkey if you just switched to animal blood like Alex and the coven, but we can't let you kill anyone, so thus, blood bag. Apparently they had to do something similar when the empath joined, so they have some experience with this." James, finding this explanation reasonable, began to tuck into the bag. Within moments his eyes lightened to a ruby red, making him look less predatorial.

"Its like neither of you know any of their names," she sighed, eating a cube of the raw meat that had been considerately cut up for her. This had Esme written all over it.

"I know them all, I just don't care," he admitted, grinning at her. He opened his mouth to add something but was stopped when a voice spoke from the hallway.

"Wolfy, you done with the food delivery? If so, let Alex eat and get some rest," Rosalie ordered, continuing down the hallway after a quick glance into the room.

"She's a real charmer," Jake muttered to her, though he didn't look too put out.

"And she can still hear you," the aforementioned vampire called out from another room. Jake rolled his eyes, picking up the tray from the table and taking the empty blood bag James tossed at him.

"You'll be okay now, right?" He sounded hopeful but uncertain, worried despite how things were looking up. Before she could answer, James did it for her.

"She's fine, now get going." When Jake didn't seem to take much stock in James' assurance, she nodded with a gentle smile. Nodding in return, he backed out of the bedroom, shutting the door after him. James huffed, settling back down into the bed. She continued to eat, finishing off the cubes of beef and drinking most of the supplied blood. Her eyelids were beginning to droop, and she would've dropped the cup of blood if not for James taking it from her and swallowing the last of it. He tossed the cup on the bedside table with ease before assuming the position they were in earlier, foreheads pressed together.

"What are you-"

"We can talk later, when you're better. There's an eternity for us to talk." And trusting him, she closed her eyes and stopped fighting to stay awake, sleeping claiming her within moments. The last thing she felt before nodding off was James pressing a kiss to her forehead and a hand rest over her stomach as if to protect her wound.


	2. Chapter 2

When she woke up 8 hours later, the first thing she noticed was James, still there beside her in bed. He must've been watching her sleep, because he notices the exact moment she opens her eyes.

"Looks like you're all healed up." His voice was soft, relieved. She couldn't help but lift up her shirt to see, cutting off the bandages that she forgot were there. She ran her hand over her stomach and then her back, marveling at the perfect skin. It seemed that now that she was healed, her weakness had gone. Her vision and hearing were back to normal, her skin was as hard as diamonds, and she knew that she wouldn't ever be sleeping again. If anything, she felt more like a vampire than before. Maybe accepting her mate had finally completed the change in some way. Being a werewolf would always be a part of her, in her mindset, her identities, her being. But she was a vampire through and through now, with a vampire mate. She felt like she had lost the last bits of who she was, but she couldn't be mad when she had gained so much more.

"So I am," she teases before her tone becomes serious, "Can we talk-"

"Think I need some fresh air, being stuck in here while you were asleep was really fuckin' boring." And with that, he jumped out the window he had originally used to enter. She sat there in shock for a moment, trying to process his hasty departure, when the hurt set in. It was quick to turn to frustration and bitterness, however. So she got dressed in silence before heading downstairs, running into Rosalie in the kitchen. She let the other vampire fuss over her, knowing that she needed to see for herself that Alex was miraculously healed after having a hole through her 8 hours ago. The warmth and casual affection from the normally stoic vampire helped to mellow her mood out, making her feel loved (though that should be her mate's job). The kitchen quickly filled with the rest of the coven and even Jacob, seemingly appearing out of nowhere as if on cue. When she asked Edward about how Bella was, he smiled softly and told her that things were handled with her mom and dad. He was even taking her to prom at some point. Her leg, though not broken, had many stress fractures so she was on a bit of pain medication, but at least she didn't need a cast. Everyone seemed so content and relieved in a way she had never experienced before, and it made her ache for this forever, though she knew it wasn't really her choice.

"Try not to take it personally, men are scared of talking about anything involving emotions," Rosalie comforted her later as she told the woman about what happened that morning, "He's been waiting for you so long that now that he has you, he's expecting it to blow up in his face. Just give him time, he'll initiate the conversation with you when he's ready." The men present were wise to not contradict her stereotype of men, knowing that she had plenty of ammo should they try and prove her wrong.

"Or maybe he's just a sociopath with no emotional depth who is still planning on killing us," Edward couldn't help but snark, bring up his doubts about the vampire that had promised to eat his girlfriend and kill his family.

"I'm sorry, what? He tried to kill you? Was he the one behind all the murders lately?" Jake asked, quickly becoming concerned. And it occurred to her that they hadn't updated him on anything that had happened, making her feel a bit guilty.

"Yeah, when Edward protected Bella and then when I protected the coven, it set him off on a hunt. But he won't kill anyone anymore!" she tries to reassure, though her heart isn't in her words.

"You're rather unsure about that, Alex," Edward notes, reading her mind. At this point, she has become so used to the mind reading and emotion feeling that it doesn't even make her pause.

"I trust him with me, but I can't be certain about what he may do otherwise. He seemed like he was trying last night with the blood bag, but it's never been about feeding for James. That's why his eyes are always so dark, he doesn't hunger for blood as much as he hungers for the hunt. His control is impeccable, he can be around humans for long periods of time while starving and still only be tempted to feed," she explained, wincing at how harsh she made him seem.

"To his credit, there haven't been any more murders since we came back," Carlisle added, always trying to see the best in people.

"So? Couldn't he have just gone elsewhere? And who's to say he hasn't just murdered anyone here and hid the crime?" Edward retorted stubbornly. She couldn't help but feel that it was a reasonable idea, considering who James was.

"Lay off of the dude, he isn't even here to defend himself. Yes, he's a sadistic asshole, but he's now a sadistic asshole with a mate that he wants to please. A mate who doesn't condone murder and torture," Emmett reasoned, and she couldn't help but beam at his support.

"I think we all need to get out of the house for awhile," Alice suggested, "And Jacob, you haven't been home in almost a week."

"That sounds like a great idea, Alice," Esme agreed, smiling brightly, clearly seeing the opportunity to split up the debate before it turned into a fight. They began to split off into groups, determining what to do with the day.

"Alex, want to come to the reservation with me? Think the pack really wants to meet you," Jake offered, saddling up next to her. And she knew what he meant; they wanted to meet her without the presence of the coven.

"Or you can come shopping with Rosalie and I," Alice offered, looking excited.

"You can come explore Forks with me, meet some humans other than Bella," Emmett boomed. She gulped, overwhelmed with her options. Shopping with Alice and Rosalie sounded rather hellish to her. Alex could see it now, the other two vampires shoving her into dresses and skirts.

"I think I'll go meet the wolf pack; after all, I still owe Billy a visit," she decided, giggling at the disappointment radiating off the others, "But I am definitely up for exploring the town when I get back. Maybe we can pick up Bella and have some fun?" Emmett whooped before lifting her up in a bear hug, spinning her around. With that, she left the house with Jake, happy to get out.

"Want a lift?" she asked him, smirking playfully. He acted like he was considering it, but she could see the excitement in his eyes.

"Well, I suppose it would be much faster than just walking over," he conceded, laughing when she hip checked him.

"Okay, I'll need you to hold onto my clothes for me," with that, she stepped behind a tree and began stripping, "Might want to let them know we're coming. And it's possible James may follow, so maybe warn them not to engage?"

"Good idea!" She could hear him dial up his dad and let him know what was going on, telling the other to let Sam know. Smart move, not telling the Alpha himself and risking being turned down. She took care to fold her clothes into a compact little bundle before focusing. This would be her first transformation since her injury, and though she was fully healed, she was hesitant.

"Do you think I could watch you transform?" Jake called out, clearly unsure, "I've noticed that everyone does it differently, and I kinda want an idea what it will be like for me." She thought it over, but could see no reason not to. She had just assumed the boy wouldn't want to see her naked.

"Yeah, sure. Here's my clothes." She stepped out from behind the tree, handing him the bundle. He grew a little red in the face and was staring her in the eyes like his life depended on it. She didn't quite understand why other people were so weird about viewing the body in its natural state but didn't judge. She focused, letting the change take her. From changing forms so often lately in her fights with Emmett, it was quite easy. There was virtually no pain, though it was still as grotesque as always. Alex met Jake's eyes during the whole thing, and there wasn't a hint of disgust anywhere, just awe. Even as she now towered over him, he didn't break eye contact.

"I've never seen anyone turn like that before. It's like the wolf was just inside your skin, waiting to be let out," he murmured, reaching forward to place his hand on her head. She huffed, allowing him to pet her. Alex lied down, jerking her head to indicate for him to climb on. With more grace than she thought him capable of, he climbed on, legs pushing into her sides and hands tangling into her fur, enough to hang on without causing any pain. She stood up slowly and began trotting, allowing him a moment to adjust.

"Is this as fast as you can go?" he goaded her. In response she howled and began to sprint in earnest. Jake startled for a second before hanging on tighter, cackling and howling himself. She didn't remember the path they took from the reservation to the house, so she had to trust her instincts to guide her. She was approaching the territory within no time, the scent of other wolves lingering everywhere.

Like before, she could feel the moment she entered the pack's land, like an electrical current moving through her body. She howled again, this time getting answering ones in return. Moments later there were other wolves at her side, running beside her. Jake howled again from her back, having the time of his life. Soon there was 5 of them, tearing their way through the woods. She was in the lead, the faster of the wolves. Anytime that one of them would try to overtake her, she would just speed up more. Eventually they broke through the woods and into the community; houses, cabins, and trailers spread out ahead of them. She came to a stop in front of Billy's house, panting though not exhausted. She lied down and allowed the pup to climb off. He walked on shaky legs, muscles clearly spasming from being clenched for so long, though he was grinning ear to ear. Billy was smiling at them softly from his wheelchair in front of his home. Alex shot out a paw when Jake stumbled, allowing the other to fall on her instead of the ground. Still face down in her fur, he gave her a thumbs up. She huffed again, resting her head on his back. He grunted and made a show of trying to get free. The other wolves, which were still milling around nearby, scoffed at their show. She finally let the boy up, and it seemed that he had regained his ability to use his legs. She stood and was about to transform back when Billy shook his head, still smiling. He nodded at the other wolves, silently telling her their visit could wait until after she had her fun. She walked towards him and pressed her head into his chest gently, the man chuckling and patting her head in response, before she steeled herself to introduce herself to the others.

Alex made her way over to where the other wolves were playing around, wrestling and fighting. They paused when she joined them, staring at her intensely. She stared back, puffing up slightly as to appear larger, though she was already larger than all of them. These were all young adults, probably new to being werewolves. There was a wariness to them, like they weren't quite settled right into their new skins yet. They were clearly intimidated by her; she was faster, bigger, older, stranger. So she took pity on them and made the first move, dropping into the canine expression of wanting to play. They looked at each other, clearly communicating telepathically, before one of them responded in kind. She barked, lurching forward to headbutt him lightly before dodging away. He seemed shocked for a moment before barking as well, darting after her.

And with that, they began to play tag. The others began to join as more of them were tagged, soon all of them playing. However, she was a different level than them and refused to give them any slack. Thus, she managed to avoid being tagged the entire game, the champion in the end. As the others began to wrestle, tired of tag, she began to head back to Billy's. However, she was stopped when a large, pure black wolf appeared before her. He was larger and older than the others, and from the vibes coming off of him, she could tell this was the Alpha in his wolf form. She bowed her head to show her respect, only moving from the position when he huffed his acknowledgement. There was a tense moment where they just stared at each other before he moved. He came forward, gently placing his forehead against hers. And like that, she was hit with a wave of voices.

_"You are now an ally of this pack, outsider. Billy and Jacob have vouched for you. Don't prove them wrong,"_ a deep voice spoke above all the others, and she recognized it as Sam's.

_"They are valued friends, I will do my best to never betray their trust,"_ she responded, not intimidated one bit by the male in front of her. They were startled out of their staring contest by Jake, who had appeared at her side with her clothes and a towel. His hair was still slightly wet from a shower, the long strands bleeding water onto his clean shirt. He stood next to her, facing Sam defiantly. The boy wasn't even old enough to be a wolf, yet here he was challenging the Alpha. She could feel it in her bones that one day Jake would be the Alpha of his pack. And Alex would help him every step of the way if he wished. Sam huffed at the display, rolling his eyes and sitting back on his haunches. She wondered if he felt the same way about the pup, if he would fight to the death to keep his position in the pack like her ancestors had. With their staredown settled, she transformed back to her normal form right then and there, for all the pack to see. When she was done, she was standing tall in the place of a wolf, eyes blazing and surrounded by gore. Sam seemed taken aback by the process, eyes trained on hers. She took the clothes from Jake and put them on after wiping most of the blood off with the towel, and in that time, Sam had left them.

"What just happened?" Jake muttered, running a hand through his hair. She chuckled, stepping behind him and carding her hands through his hair. After she had untangled it, she quickly fashioned it into a loose braid, taking the elastic tie Jake offered her to keep it from coming undone. She then dragged him over to a flowerbed, stealing a few flowers and weaving them into his braid.

"Really? Flowers? I have a reputation to maintain around here, you know?" he whined, but he didn't make any move to stop her. If anything, he seemed to relax in her presence.

"Oh really?" she teased, though she was careful not to offend the pup. It mustn't be easy, knowing his fate but not actually fitting in with anyone here. He wasn't normal, but he wasn't a wolf, and she knew how lonely that could be.

"So are you going to tell me what was going on between Sam and you or..." he trailed off, looking at her questioningly. And she knew what he was really asking, but she knew he would just have to wait to be fully able to understand the gravity of their actions.

"He brought me into pack communication. But then he made his point that I'm only being considered an ally because Billy and you vouched for me. Thank you for that, by the way."

"No problem. And that's bullshit, you are as much a wolf as the rest of us, you should be an ally whether or not we vouched for you." His face twisted with his righteousness, and she found herself touched by his openness. He was a good kid, she hoped that he stayed that way after his transformation. She had seen it happen before to those in her original pack, personalities changing seemingly overnight after they become a wolf. And while Sam didn't seem like a bad guy, she didn't want Jake to surrender his individuality to the pack.

"But I'm still a vampire at the end of the day. And he associates me with the coven because of how we met, regardless of whether or not I'm actually a member," she explained with a grimace, quickly changing her tone when she sees his face darken, "But you can't blame him. I'm an outsider, and he's the alpha trying to protect this pack."

"An alpha should be a leader, a protector, not a dictator," he muttered, talking to her even though his eyes told her he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Then maybe one day you can change that," Alex told him softly, reaching for his hand and squeezing it gently. He smiled slightly at her, dark mood not completely dissipated, but still squeezed her hand in kind. So they sat there in silence for a bit, holding hands and mulling over their conversation in the flowers. Jake would play with the ones in his hair occasionally, treating them with reverence. She watched in fascination as the sun peaked out from behind the clouds, her marble skin sparkling like crystals. She had been a wolf for so long that she hadn't seen that in awhile.

"Alex, please join me for awhile," Billy called from his porch, startling both of them out of whatever moment they were having, Jake releasing her hand with a slight blush. She got up and stretched, lamenting the moment the sun slipped back behind the clouds again.

"I'll find you and say goodbye before I head back, okay?" she assured Jake, smiling when he nodded, before making her way over to Billy. She settled down in a rocking chair next to him, accepting his offer of tea. They exchanged meaningless pleasantries as they sat there, drinking their herbal teas and watching the bustle of the community. But alas, the tea could only last for so long.

"I see you're part of the telepathic connection now. And that you're guiding my son to be the next Alpha of this pack," Billy states bluntly, smirking when she just hums noncommittally in response, "You're all healed up now. How'd things with your mate work out?"

"To be honest, I wasn't healing at all until I finally accepted him. We're meant for each other, but he's still him and we have so much to talk about and-" There was something about the man that made her want to spill her guts, trust him with her thoughts.

"Calm down, these things will work themselves out, you'll see." She barely holds in the scoff that tries to escape at the generic words of comfort, but she knows he's being sincere.

"But what if he doesn't change?" It comes out as almost a whisper, but Billy hears her anyway.

"Did you go into this thinking he would? That's not fair to him," he says gently, something sad in his tone. And something in her clenches at the idea of disappointing Billy. She hadn't thought this through, and she hated the doubts that had been weighing on her all morning since James just disappeared.

"Well, no, I didn't expect him to change out of choice, I expected love to change him. But it hasn't. I mean, I still want him to be James, but I don't know if I can stay with him if he doesn't." Alex couldn't imagine trying to ignore everything that had happened between them, couldn't picture the future where things just go back to the way they were before.

"I think it's changed him more than you know." There was a glint in his eye that spoke of untold knowledge, and it made her arms breakout in goosebumps. She was about to ask for specifics when one of the young wolves from earlier runs onto the porch, now a teenage male. He's trying to look confident and unaffected, but she can smell the anxiety and slight fear that he's giving off. At first she thinks it's because of her, but then he speaks.

"A vampire has entered our lands. He seems to be making his way here, somehow managing to evade every wolf. Sam wants to speak with you, Alex." She can feel her stomach drop, bitterness flaring up in kind. Sensing her mood, Billy is quick to calm her.

"If he wasn't changed, he'd be hunting down every wolf on this land. Now go, stop them before they start a fight, we can continue this chat later." She chuckles at how accurate his prediction is before getting up and following the messenger over to where Sam is staring into the tree line intensely.

"I was informed by Billy when you were on your way that you may be followed by a vampire, but I had been expecting it to be a coven member that wouldn't dare approach this settlement." He narrows his eyes at her as if she had some hand in this, and her defiance is quick to rear it's head. He is not her Alpha, and she will not tolerate being treated as anything less than an equal.

"He's my mate. If I had to guess, I'd say he's coming to find me after I left the house earlier," she snaps, satisfied at the way he seems to recoil at her tone.

"You have a vampire mate?" the young male from before asks, looking confused and slightly disgusted. She can't really blame him though, to him, vampires smell like corpses.

"It's a recent development. Apparently I imprinted on him before I was ever turned," she explains, the others nodding in understanding. There is nothing that can be done about imprinting, it is something sacred that must be respected. No wolf pack would dare to disrespect or question the bond.

"I thought we weren't playing this game anymore, Alex," James calls out before appearing out of the trees in front of them. He skids to a stop, leaving deep scars in the dirt in his wake. The wolves that were following him appeared as well, forming a line behind him as if to prevent him from leaving. She was just glad that he didn't seem tense in the face being surrounded.

"I didn't run, I'm not hiding. I'm just visiting the pack like I promised I would when they helped me," she explains, hoping that it would calm him down. His face is twisted as his eyes dart from her to all the shirtless men and wolves around her, though he never stops to meet her gaze.

"Are you staying here now? Trading your room with the coven for a place in a pack?" It hurt in a way that she wasn't used to, his words stinging just as he meant them to. But there was no flicker of regret or hesitation on his face despite the way it clearly upset her.

"I'm not a member of the coven, nor am I a member of this pack. What is wrong with you?" she can't help but yell the last part, frustrated with him. She knew that he hadn't changed, Billy was wrong. James was just as cruel as he used to be, but there was no reason for him to play nice now that he had her in the way he had always wanted. She had fallen for his trap finally, just as he knew she eventually would.

"What's wrong with me? You're my mate, you belong to me. Yet you go out and give yourself to any person that so much as smiles at you. It's pathetic, the lack of dignity."

"It's called making friends, you-" She's cut off before she can start cursing by Sam, who has surely grown impatient with their drama.

"Alex, I want this vampire off pack territory," he orders, disrespecting the other vampire by not even talking to him directly. It's a bad move on his part, pettiness where they needed diplomacy.

"You must be the alpha. Well, I'm not going anywhere." God, it was like she was dealing with a child. An angry, vicious child with sociopathic tendencies, but a child nonetheless.

"James, please. Let's just go-"

"Trying to protect your new friends from the evil vampire, Alex? Maybe I didn't get the message through when I tried to kill the girl and the coven-"

"If you don't leave here of your own free will, you will leave in pieces. Am I clear?" As much as she wants to respect Sam, she's struck at how foolish he is to speak to a vampire in such a manner, especially this vampire. James has killed people for a lot less.

"I'd like you see you try. I've taken out larger packs than this before, ask Alex, her pack was one of them." He wasn't even being arrogant, he was simply stating facts, but it still struck her as cruel. She didn't know what to say to that, but he seemed to clench his jaw in a way that indicated he knew he had gone too far. And she was tempted to walk away, let the men sort this out amongst themselves, but she would never forgive herself if any of these teenagers, especially Jake, got hurt because she didn't take responsibility for her mate.

"If they let you join me, will you leave them alone? I have a conversation that I would like to be able to finish, but it isn't fair of me to send my mate away. Sam, if he agrees to not attack anyone, can he be allowed to stay on the territory temporarily?" she tries to appease both of them, which seems to work if the way James is moving out of his crouch to stand up straight is any indication.

"Your wish is my command, dearest," he sneers, eyes glittering as they finally meet her own, and while it doesn't fill her with confidence, she trusts him to not kill anyone for now.

"I will give my permission this one time, the next time this happens-" he trails off with a snarl, before looking at her directly, "Well, there just better not be a next time." Before either of them can say anything that would instigate Sam further, she dragged James away by the hand towards Billy's.

"I see your mate is a handful, Alex," Billy teases as they approach, a soft smile on his face despite his obvious wariness of James.

"Trust me, she is much more troublesome," James growls, grabbing her abandoned cup of tea before moving to sit on the porch railing. She shoots him a glare for his rudeness before settling back into the same chair from before. She goes to apologize for her abrupt departure earlier and now the uninvited guest, but the elder simply waves off her before she can say anything. They exchange more pleasantries, both of them overly aware of the other vampire that could hear their every word, when they finally starting talking seriously again.

"I'm sorry to admit that I have a favor to ask of you," Billy begins, continuing when she agrees to hear him out, "Jake is going to be experiencing his transformation soon, and I would like for you to look out for him when he does. He's been dreading this for awhile now, and I fear the change to his identity will make him susceptible to the Alpha's will. His closest friends have already underwent their transformation, and his only other support was Bella Swan, so he could use a friend to help support and guide him."

"I am happy help Jake however I can, it's no problem at all. My first transformation was terrifying, and I have never experienced so much pain before. But at least I wasn't alone, and that mattered more than I thought it would," she answers, glancing over to see James watching them out of the corner of his eye before his gaze returns to the pack.

"Consider myself in your debt then," Billy says sincerely, his gratitude warming her heart. It was clear this man cared about his son more than anything, and she would be damned before letting anything happen to Jake.

"How about we just consider it even for you helping me before?" she offers in return, smiling gently.

"You are too kind." After that, they exchange goodbyes, Alex getting ready to go back and keep her word to Emmett.

"James, are you coming with me?" she asks hesitantly, but before the intended can respond, Billy cuts in.

"It's okay, he can stay here for a bit. I believe we need have a conversation of our own," the man claims, tone neutral but something sharp in his eyes. James looks at her as if she has any advice, but she is as dumbfounded as he is.

"I'll be with Emmett and Bella if you need to find me," she tells him before heading off. Maybe it's a bit petty of her, leaving James to face whatever conversation Billy has in store for him, but she doesn't look back once. She makes sure to say goodbye to Jake before she leaves the reservation, giving the other a tight hug and instructions to call for her if he ever needs anything.

By the time she has returned to the house, it's late enough in the morning that normal humans should be awake. Emmett immediately threw her into the Jeep (literally) and gunned it to Bella's.

"Sorry guys, but I have to go to school. Charlie is threatening to take the truck away unless I get my grades back up," the teenager apologizes as she lets them in the house. Alex takes in the house; the faded furniture, old photographs of better times, and the clear signs of this not really being a home. She knows that things with Bella's father have been better lately, but it seems like the teen still hasn't properly integrated herself into this house, made it her new home. She wonders if that was more on the teen or more on her father. In any case, the man isn't here for her to analyze.

"I've never been to high school," she muses aloud, gaining more attention than she thought it would.

"What? What did you do then for 150 years?" Bella asked, clearly naive at how the Olympic coven was an exception in the vampire world by trying to live as humans.

"I went to college and dabbled in a bit of everything, tried to gain knowledge as it was made available. I traveled the world, met every species of werewolf that are still living. Met some other types of shapeshifters, the Japanese foxes with multiple tails that called themselves kitsunes were my favorite. They were very old and very wise, the kitsunes of Japanese lore were based on them, they used to be considered spirits and gods. I found evidence in Egypt that the old gods were also shapeshifters..." she trailed off when she realized that she was gushing. Emmett was looking at her fondly, and Bella just looked confused. She smiled sheepishly, regretting even opening her mouth.

"You've done all that, but you never went to high school?" the human prodded playfully.

"High school would've required a certain permanence, and that wasn't really an option," she explained carefully, though not without humor.

"I mean, Emmett is already enrolled so we can just say that you are a new member of the Cullen family, just checking out the school you'll be attending," Bella offered gently, leaving Alex the opportunity to back out if this wasn't something she was interested in doing.

"That sounds great! You guys will have to introduce me to all your friends and-" her excited is cut off by Emmett, who is now smirking at her excitement.

"Wow, slow down for a sec, Alex. You should probably clean up first. First impressions are everything after all." And though his words make sense, especially considering how dirty her current clothes have become after her trip to the reservation, she senses some sort of trap.

"I've got some clothes that Alice gave me that you can have. They aren't my style, so I never wear them," Bella assures, already heading up the stairs to grab the aforementioned clothes.

"Thanks, Bella," she calls up after the girl.

"You won't be thanking me for very long," she hears the girl mutter, and she wonders how bad it could be.

Spoiler: it was bad.

"I look ridiculous. I feel ridiculous." Maybe it was the silver silk top with glitter, maybe it was the skin tight jeans, it could've even been the high heeled boots; but she felt like someone else in these clothes. All that was missing was the face full of makeup and a purse.

"Hey, at least you can pull it off," Bella compliments awkwardly, though it's clear no one but Alice or Roselie could pull this off.

"It just makes you look more like a girl," Emmett teases, spinning her around to get a full look at her outfit. She allows it with a huff, already planning her revenge.

"I don't want to look like a girl, I want to look like me," she sighed once the other had stopped, pulling her hair into a bun since she didn't have a brush.

"Well, you can't exactly go to school as a giant wolf," Emmett teased, earning a sharp look in response from the human.

"Come on, we need to get going before I'm late."

Emmett, insisting that they make an entrance, gave Bella the keys and climbed into the back of the Jeep, helping Alex up with him. While she didn't really care for vehicles when she could run faster, she had to admit that there was some sort of electricity in the air as they tore down city roads, Emmett and her whooping the entire time. She could hear Bella laughing as she pulled into the school parking lot. The Jeep was barely parked when Emmett jumped down, offering her his hand.

"My lady," he said seriously, bowing lightly.

"Why thank you, kind sir," she all but cooed, taking his hand and allowing the other vampire to help her out of the back of the vehicle.

"God, you two are old," Bella groaned, trying to hide a smile.

"No shit, Sherlock," Alex teased back, gaining a snicker from Emmett and a fake affronted look from the human.

"Bella!" She turned to see a girl strutting towards them, a tense smile on her face. She looked moments away from screaming, not that Alex couldn't relate.

"You're driving their cars now, I guess. And who is your new friend?" the girl fired away at Bella before turning her attention to the new vampire on the scene, "Welcome to Forks High School, I'm Jessica Stanley."

"I'm Alex, nice to be here I guess," she offered awkwardly, not sure as to what this girl, Jessica apparently, wanted from her.

"Well Bella, don't be rude. Let's introduce her to everyone!" she cheered, although her tone was brittle and exasperated, leading the way into the school's cafeteria.

"Kill me now," she mutters only loud enough for Emmett to hear.

"If only you were that lucky."

"Hey guys, we're in luck, we have another new kid! This is Alex," Jessica introduced her to a table of what she assumes are Bella's classmates. There's a preppy looking guy, a jock, and a girl who looked almost nervous with being forced into a social interaction.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Eric Yorkie. If you ever have any questions or need any help, here is my phone number and email." She's a bit taken aback when he hands her a business card, but he seems pretty okay despite his oddness.

"I'm Angela Weber, welcome to Forks," the girl almost whispers, her shyness even more apparent by the way she couldn't hold eye contact for very long. Alex almost feels guilty, and is grasping at straws for how to respond to the meekness of the other when she spots her camera.

"That's a sweet camera, what kind of photography do you do?" She makes sure to ask softly and show genuine interest in the art, clearly luring the girl out of her shell.

"Oh, thank you," her face seemed to open up a little bit, not so hesitant when talking about her passion, "I've mainly been doing portraits and candid photos, but I think it would be really cool to do underwater photography."

"Good luck finding a tough enough camera for that around here, there's a great little tech shop in Portland that you should check out sometime though," she recommends, remembering the shop from her travels around the city fondly.

"Oh, thanks, that sounds awesome," Angela responds genuinely, a small but radiant smile on her face.

"I'm Mike Newton," a cute blond boy introduces next, stepping into her personal space more than necessary for a hand shake.

"I can see that, your name is on your varsity jacket," she teases, grabbing his hand and shaking it. He holds it for a little bit too long before letting it go, and she can already see this going down in flames.

"True, but it can't hurt to be polite. Since you are starting so close to the prom and don't really know anyone, I'd be happy to take you." She doesn't get a chance to respond to his forwardness before Eric is chiming in. She glances over at Emmett when she hears him grinding his teeth, but he's just glaring at Mike.

"You definitely have to come, I'm the DJ!" As they descend into their chatter about prom, she goes to retreat but is blocked by the girl from before.

"It seems like you'll fit right in here," Jessica's frail voice grates, though she doesn't seem to be happy about the fact that her crush had asked a stranger to prom over her, "And what's your last name, I didn't catch it before." She freezes at the question, not having prepared for this. She's grateful when Emmett speaks up for her.

"Hale, she's my sister," he proclaims smugly, throwing an arm over her shoulders and pulling her into his side. Everyone within hearing range (AKA: the entire cafeteria) goes completely silent, looking at her like she was a different species. Something warm settles in her chest at being given a last name, at being even more a part of this family. She guesses that Rosalie accepted her first out of the coven so thus she got the same last name as her.

"Oh, another Cullen. Are you new to the family or-" Jessica begins before being cut off by Emmett, though she only seems flustered rather than offended. She can see now that the Cullens seem to be the highest members of the high school hierarchy, wealthy and elite and beautiful in a way the humans can't help but admire and be intimidated by.

"Nah, Alex has been with us for awhile now. She was off at some fancy school in Europe before she decided she missed her favorite brother too much," Emmett lies effortlessly.

"Yeah, it just broke my heart to be apart from Jasper like that," she says sweetly, Emmett faking a look of betrayal in response.

"Ouch," Bella chuckles from next to her, dodging away when Emmett pretends to try to smack her. While the cafeteria is no longer silent and clearly listening into their conversation, the group still looks shell shocked and wary of her.

"Alex!" a familiar voice chimes before there's a petite body hanging off her back, "These clothes look fabulous on you, you totally should've come with Rosalie and I on our shopping trip!" She's not surprised, having heard and smelt the entrance of the others, but the casual show of affection still serves to make her smile.

"Like I said earlier, maybe another time. I'm still settling into Forks after my stay in Europe," she explains, hoping that the others catch her drift.

"We're just happy to have you back," Jasper intones before the weight of Alice on her back disappears. Someone puts a jacket around her shoulders, which she is quick to put on, covering up the glittery monstrosity she was wearing. From the length and smell, she guesses that it's Edward's. Bless his ability to read her mind, as she felt much more comfortable and a lot less exposed now.

"Yeah, as a Hale, you were too good for that fancy English school anyway," Edward adds, clarifying her background for the others. He settles next to Bella, their hands brushing but not holding. It's sickening adorable.

"Enough chattering, Alex still needs to get her pass from the office and classes start in, like, 10 minutes," Rosalie cuts in, appearing next to her and linking their arms together.

"It was nice meeting you all! See you in class," she gets out before being tugged along out of the cafeteria, the others filing out behind them.

"Thanks for saving me back there," she sighs the moment they are in private.

"Don't thank me yet, I have no idea how we're going to get you enrolled here without having the papers made up first," Rosalie stresses, though she still looks pleased at Alex's presence here.

"It's fine, we can just say she's here to observe and get a feel for the school before she enrolls next semester," Jasper reasons, the others agreeing quickly. It's simple to charm the woman in the attendance office with polite words and sparkling smiles for a visitor's pass. There's nearly a war when the time comes to decide who she should go to class with.

"I mean, I came to hang out with Bella and get an idea of what exactly high school means to a human. Besides, Edward will be in some of the classes too!" Although there's some grumbling and pouting, the other's eventually leave them, heading towards their respective classes.

"You're gonna make the others jealous," Bella teases, to which she just laughs. They arrive to their first class on time, some sort of science class if the layout of the room was any indication. The teacher barely even takes a look at her pass before telling her to just sit wherever there's an opening. Everyone in the room is sitting in pairs, the only empty seat being next to the jock from before, Mike.

"Anyone sitting here?" she asks before taking the seat, just to be polite.

"Nope! My partner is sick today, so feel free." The teacher hands out instructions for the lab they would be completing today, and they are quick to split up who is responsible for doing what. It seemed like pretty standard stuff, most of their success just hinging on their ability to measure correctly.

"So you never answered me earlier about prom? If you're going and need a date?" She caught Edward turning his head their way every now and then, clearly listening in and finding her predicament hilarious. She makes sure to mumble swears quiet enough that no one but him could hear them, only serving to amuse him more.

"I'd love to, but I don't think my boyfriend would be very pleased," she turned him down ruthlessly but honestly.

"You have a boyfriend? Is he another Cullen?"

"No!" she can't help but laugh, imaging how James would react to that.

"Does he go here? Or is he back in Europe?" Mike continued, seeming genuinely curious rather than trying to determine if she was tell the truth.

"We did meet abroad, yes, but he moved back here with me. He's graduated from school now though," she explained, trying to keep as close to the truth as possible. She could see Edward's shoulders shaking with silent laughter, Bella elbowing him in the side trying to get him to tell her what's so funny.

"Well, he must be something to have snagged a girl like you," the boy says unexpectedly, a small smile on his face. And she hadn't been prepared for that at all, making her pause in the face of his sincerity. She had misjudged him, and that was on her.

"He really it," she agreed softly, before continuing optimistically, "Hopefully I can convince him to come to prom so everyone can get to meet him."

"Yeah, that'd be sweet! All of us could hang out together," Mike cheered, making her chuckle at his antics. The rest of the lab passed by quickly, with them making small talk until the bell rang. He even offered to make her his permanent lab partner if she decided to come back.

"You looked a little overwhelmed there, do I need to go and break his arm?" Edward asked lowly when Mike left for his next class, clearly referring to when she had tensed up.

"No!" she laughed, lightly punching him in the arm, "He just said something I wasn't expecting a jock to say."

The next few classes pass in a daze, Alex lost in her thoughts most of the time. She had thought that there would be more social interactions, but it was limited to the 10 minutes between classes. She managed to run into all her 'siblings', each of them quick to interrogate her about how she was liking high school. And as much as she appreciated the sentiment, she couldn't see herself actually attending high school.

"Do you guys even pretend to eat like normal humans at lunch?" she asked as she settled on top of the table the group had seemed to claim as their's. They stood out even more, sitting at an empty table while the rest of the students ate. It only served to alienate them more. Alex wondered why they bothered with pretending to be high schoolers when they clearly didn't interact with any of the humans.

"No, we just say that we had a big breakfast or that we aren't hungry if anyone asks," Jasper answered, though it was clear that not many people had ever questioned them about their feeding habits.

"You want anything?" Bella offered, holding up something from her tray that resembled a sandwich.

"Not really? I don't think anything here is actually fit for consumption." And how Emmett managed to turn that into a tuberculosis joke, she wasn't sure, but it had the table cracking up. It felt safe, sitting here with them, pretending to be humans. But in her heart, this wasn't who Alex was. She was meant to be a wolf originally, and the feeling of being separate from humans had never faded. She felt like an outsider looking in, a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"They seem happier since you've come home, the Cullens I mean," Angela points out from the desk next to her's in history, the last class of the day. She had opted for sitting in the back, growing tired of pretending to care.

"Really?" she mused, not really believing it. She hadn't known this coven all that long, definitely not enough to make any sort of impact on their lives.

"Definitely! I haven't seen them laugh like that ever," Angela assured warmly, "I think Rosalie even smiled?"

"Must be the end of the world," she jested in return, just before the class started. She tried to focus, she really did, but the other girl's words stuck in her head. Alex was a nomad, a traveler who left no traces and no footprints. She was there and then gone, someone that was only ever known in passing. The idea that she had touched their lives in some permanent way was foreign and frightening to her after all this time. This isn't what she had intended, becoming something more than someone passing through. But James and her had collided again, fate taking hold in some strange way. She barely even noticed when the bell rang again, thoughtless following the motions of getting up and moving to the hallway. She was surprised when suddenly the rest were there, Emmett's arm thrown around her as they guided her outside and towards the Jeep.

"Race you home?" Emmett challenged, an almost feral smile on his face. And while she ached to answer the challenge, she needed a break. She needed some time to herself.

"I think I'm gonna go explore the town a bit more, on my own. I'll catch up with you guys later," Alex decided, gently removing Emmett's arm from her person. She didn't know why she needed to get away so badly, all she knew was that there was a pressure building in her chest that she couldn't control.

"Take your time, not that there's much to see," Jasper answered before anyone else could try and tag along, clearly sensing her need to clear her head after being stuck in the school all day. No one dared to contradict him, seeming to understand that she had her reasons.

And so, from the high school, she walked to the town square, which wasn't far. She stopped in a diner that at first glance seemed rather rundown, but the maternal waitress who served her quickly grew on her, as did the endless coffee. There was a small grocery store that she perused, a hole-in-the-wall book store that she spent hours in, and a park that she decided to chill out in. She found herself a nook under a pine tree that overlooked the town, allowing her to people watch in peace. This is where James found her. He didn't say anything, merely took a seat next to her, an ever present scowl on his face. She wanted to pry about his conversation with Billy, but she decided she'd wait for him to tell her about it himself one day.

"It's odd to think that I could've been one of these people. That if I had just been a normal wolf, I would've eventually started aging like a normal human after I decided to stop shifting. I could've been the waitress at the diner, or the old man who runs the book store," she shared her thoughts, something like melancholy settling over her.

"Is that what you want?" he asked, no emotion behind his question. She couldn't read him like this, but right now she didn't need to.

"No, not really. I would've never stopped shifting. I probably would've died in battle as a wolf, fighting another pack or vampires. And I long ago accepted what it means to be a vampire, even what it means to love being one."

"Then why did you spend all day pretending to be a human?" This question was more pointed, something like an accusation hidden between his words. But she didn't react to the subtext, taking the question as it was.

"Because I never really got the chance before. I can see why they take pleasure from their short lives, I can see why they love and want and crave the things and people they do," she began, picking up some passion as she continued before smiling sadly, "But it's not me, and I know that." James didn't seem to know what to do with her honesty, awkward in the face of her emotions.

"You smell like the pretty boy vampire," he eventually brought up, though there wasn't as much heat as she had been expecting.

"His name is Edward," she scolded lightly, "And yeah, this is his jacket. This outfit wasn't exactly my style, so I borrowed it to cover up." With a huff, he quickly took off his own jacket and tossed it at her, clearly telling her to put it on instead. With a smirk at his resigned jealousy, she switched jackets, burying her face into the popped collar when he raised an eyebrow at the flash of glitter. She melted into the warm jacket, breathing in his scent on it. She scooted over slightly, pressing herself against his side and resting her head on his shoulder. James tensed at the contact, clearly unsure of what she was doing or why, but he eventually relaxed when she didn't move away. She wondered what he was thinking as they continued to observe the humans living their lives, always in a rush to get nowhere. There was a garden not too far away from them, organized and almost a parody of nature.

"I've always loved the flowers," she mused, "These are nothing like the wildflowers I grew up with though, remember them?" James only hummed, acknowledging that he had heard her. She didn't push him, letting him choose his words in his own time.

"I didn't know you liked flowers," he admitted, "You used to scorn everything girly, so I just figured that flowers fell under that category." She had forgotten that, the way she had fought against the Western stereotype of what a girl should be like. James had tried giving her flowers before, only for her to reject them viciously. And Alex wished that she could go back, accept those professional arrangements and treat them properly.

"It depends on the flower. I wasn't a fan of the common rose, definitely," she reasoned, but it felt hollow even to her. They both knew that she had only hated flowers because he had tried to use them to woo her.

"Follow me," James suddenly ordered, standing up and dragging her with him. She was startled, but she followed him regardlessly. He kept ahold of her hand as he ran ahead of her, guiding her through the woods carefully.

"Where are we going?" she shouted, concerned but trusting him for now.

"You'll see," he said, something like determination in his voice. They didn't go too far through the woods before he suddenly stopped, making her run into him. She yelped, startled at the contact but not actually hurt. He chuckled quietly, and she tried not to let herself bristle.

"Okay, we're almost there," he explained, "Close your eyes." And although she was wary, he didn't push her. He waited for her to decide to listen, and when she did, he then proceeded to sweep her up bridal style, carrying her the rest of the way. She had no idea where they were, but something about being somewhere so quiet calmed her.

"Okay, open your eyes," he whispered, something like excitement and nervousness in his voice. Alex found herself excited too, and opened her eyes to find a meadow, full of flowers. Wildflowers and lilacs, lavender and buttercups; it was beautiful. She couldn't help the gasp that she let out, or the beaming smile when she walked through the flowers to the center of the meadow, where a boulder perfect for laying out was situated. Everything was wet with rain, and the sun was hidden away behind thick clouds, but this was still so perfect to her.

"How did you find this place?" she asked, taking a seat on top of the boulder. He joined her, unsure about what she was thinking.

"I found it when I was wandering around this morning," he explained nonchalantly, leaving out the part about how he had been avoiding her hardcore if this was how far in the forest he had ventured.

"Thank you," she said anyway, willing to overlook how he had hurt her feelings in light of how he was clearly trying to make it up to her.

"Man, if this is all it takes to woo you, I would've planted a field of flowers ages ago," he teases, to which she just huffed out a laugh in response.

"You still could. Imagine it, a field of daylilies, poppies, and milkweed," she mused, the image so clear in her head.

"I'll have to find somewhere to plant them all." And while he was clearly just letting her run with her fantasy, Alex found herself seriously thinking it over.

"Why not here?" she asked, her seriousness taking him aback momentarily.

"Do you want to stay here?" he finally asked, something hesitant in his question as if he didn't really want to know the answer.

"I don't think I'm done traveling yet, but I think I want to make it a point to visit the wolf pack and the coven, wherever they move after this." Her answer seemed to satisfy her mate, and they allowed the conversation to drop. They sat there in silence until sunset, just admiring the meadow, both lost in their thoughts. She had missed this James, the one who tried to earn her affection rather than trying to take it or make sure there was no one else she could give it to. But still she couldn't find herself able to relax yet, just waiting for the moment when he would change, when he would push her. It was instinct almost, as much as she wished that she could trust him.

"The one man from the reservation, he told me more about what it means to imprint for a wolf," he blurted out suddenly, drawing her attention away from her dark thoughts. She was surprised, she hadn't expected him to talk about his conversation with Billy so soon, much less in the same day. But James didn't seem to be done surprising her as he continued.

"I pretty much fucked us up right from the start. I'm not sorry for killing your pack, your family, but I'm sorry that it hurt you. And I'm not sorry for turning you either, but I'm sorry that I didn't give you a choice." Even while apologizing he was stubborn, but she would take what she could get. This was the most James had ever taken responsibility for, rather than blaming her for running as he had previously. It meant more to her than she cared to admit that he was really apologizing for not respecting her and her boundaries, but she understood why he turned her.

"I forgave you a long time ago," Alex admitted, only having realized it was true herself today, "It's hard to stay angry when I don't really remember them anymore. And like I said, I've come to love being a vampire. And if you hadn't, I would've died a long time ago, from either childbirth or in battle."

"Did you want kids?" he asked weakly, strained as if it had never occurred to him before. And given how James thought, that was definitely the case.

"No, I've never wanted kids. And in the pack, I would've been forced to get married and pop out baby after baby," she responds bitterly before returning the question, "Did you ever want kids?"

"No. I wouldn't have wanted to subject any child to how I grew up. And when I was human, I would've never been selfless enough to care for a child." It's more thought out than she expected of him, but she understands completely. He had never liked talking about how he grew up, but he had answered every question she had ever thrown at him honestly.

"I mean, you managed to keep me alive," she reasoned, gently hitting his side with her elbow to show she had no ill meanings behind her words.

"Barely," he joked in return, before continuing possessively, "Not that I would've ever let you die."

"I'm aware," Alex confirmed lightly, something warm in her at knowing that he would alway protect her, at least from everything other than himself.

"Do you think that we could start over?" he asked, so hopeful and ernst that it made her pause and think over her answer.

"No, I don't think we could," she answered honestly, before the disappointment on his face spurred her onward, "You are my past, present, and future. To start over would be to forget all the memories we share, both the good and the bad."

"I just wish this was easy," he growled, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He ripped out his ponytail, his shoulder length hair falling into his face.

"If it was easy, it wouldn't be us," she soothed, gently running her fingers through his tangles, just as she had done with Jake earlier. Again, he tensed immediately at her contact, but quickly relaxed as she just continued to soothe his scalp. And if she managed to sneak a few flowers into his hair in the process, he was none the wiser.

"I missed you when we were apart," he broke the silence sometime later, before continuing with his explanation, "There's always a void when you leave, one that not even a coven could fill. You're the only person I have and will ever need." This was the most open he had ever been with her, the most vulnerable he had ever allowed himself to be. And while she had known that he cared for her on some level, she hadn't expected him to feel so strongly. It drowned out her doubts about him then and there, knowing that he wasn't just trying to manipulate her.

"If you asked me to give this all up, I would. Leave the coven and the pack behind, just you and me against the world," she whispered like a penance, knowing that he heard every word anyway. But still he didn't meet her eyes, head still in his hands, face hidden behind a veil of his hair.

"I can't do that again to you," he decided sharply before continuing much quieter and weaker, "I can't take you away from all that you love, try and temper your resentment, you'd never forgive me."

"You could burn this world to the ground, and I'd still love you," she admitted, but he didn't really seem to believe her. He seemed to be in denial, chuckling darkly as he considered his response.

"But then I wouldn't be someone who deserves your love. Hell, I may never be," he asserted, something like self-loathing behind his words. And she had never seen him like this, he had never shown her this side of him. It hurt her to hear him talk like that, even though a week ago she would have agreed with him.

"Love is something given, a choice to put someone above yourself. You don't get to be the judge of if you deserve it," she whispered, grabbing his face and turning it towards her own to get her message across. And he seemed awed by her words, by her affection, and she knew in her heart that they would be okay. They still had years of issues to get through, from both of them, but Alex was confident that this is where she belonged. The bond between them seemed to finally be cementing in place, connecting them for the rest of their immortal lives. And while she had known that James would always have a level of control over her, she hadn't expected to have just as much of an influence over him. They leaned forward until their foreheads were pressed together, just sharing this intimate moment that had been so long in the making.


End file.
